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"HISTORY OF POPERY 



INCLUDING ITS 



ORIGIN, PROGRESS, DOCTRINES, PRACTICE, 
INSTITUTIONS, AND FRUITS, 



COMMENCEMENT OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. 

> A 

BY A WATCHMAN. 



I have set watchmen upon thy walls. O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their 
peace day nor night."— Isa. lxii. 6. 



WITH AN INTRODUCTORY ESSAY, 
BY SAMUEL MILLER, D. D., 

Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Ch. Government in the Theological Seminary at Princeton, N. J. 



NEW YORK: 
PUBLISHED BY JOHN P. HAVEN, 148 NASSAU ST. 

1834. 



**$ 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1834, 

By John P. Haven, 

in the Office of the Clerk of the Southern District of New York. 



Jl/^J 



THOMAS GEORGE. JR. PRINTER. 



CONTENTS. 



Introductory Essay, Page 3 

Author's Preface, 18 

SECTION I. 
The Origin of Popery, 25 

SECTION II. 

Events preceding, and contributing to, the rise of Po- 
pery, 35 

SECTION III. 

An examination of the popish argument in support of 

the supremacy, &c. of the bishop of Rome, . . 44 

SECTION IV. 

Examination of historical testimony relative to the 
supremacy of the bishop of Rome, during the first 
six centuries, 50 

SECTION V. 

The progress of Popery during the twelve centuries 

succeeding its rise, 60 

SECTION VI. 

Doctrines of Popery, 153 

1* 



CONTENTS. 

SECTION VII. 
Idolatry of Popery, 236 

SECTION VIII. 

Persecutions of Popery, 277 

SECTION IX. 

Superstitions of Popery, 336 

SECTION X. 
Prophetic views of Popery from the scriptures, . . 404 

SECTION XL 

Moral influence of Popery, . 411 

Conclusion, 415 



INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 



The Popish controversy has lately assumed an aspect 
in our country which must render it deeply interesting to 
every sincere and intelligent Christian. Ten years ago, 
the revival of this controversy, as an object of general 
attention, and of zealous effort, would have appeared un- 
reasonable, if not liable to the charge of something ap- 
proaching to persecution. At that time, the adherents of 
the " Man of Sin," being regarded as not more than a 
fortieth or fiftieth part of our population, and maintaining 
generally that silent and inoffensive course which might 
have been expected in the nineteenth century, on the part 
of a small minority, who at once respected their own 
claims, and remembered what was due, in a free country, to 
the claims and the influence of a predominant Protestant 
community, gave little occasion for public animadversion. 
Of late, however, the aspect of things is not a little 
changed. The native and well known spirit of their 
sect is beginning with more distinctness to disclose it- 
self. Feeling their body strengthened by large emigra- 
tions from the old world ; enabled, by rich pecuniary con- 
tributions from various foreign sources, to multiply and 
invigorate their sectarian establishments; having re- 
ceived, with their recent importations, a considerable in- 
crease of that vulgar ferocity which might have been an- 
ticipated from the character of those importations, and 
imagining that the time had come when they needed 
nothing but a public controversy, and a confident tone, to 
ensure their triumph ; they have lately assumed an atti- 
tude, and indulged in a language to which we have not 



<± INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 

hitherto been accustomed; and have even ventured, in 
some memorable instances, after inviting discussion, to 
meet dignified and irresistible argument, with insolent 
threats or with brutal violence. 

In these circumstances, — when the old and well known 
claims of these children of " Anti-christ" have been 
urged with more than wonted noise and offensiveness ; 
when Protestants have been assailed, and challenged in 
a manner which indicated a fixed purpose, and the largest 
hopes, of encroachment on their ranks by proselytism ; — 
it surely became a duty to show that the " faith once de- 
livered to the saints" had friends willing and able to 
stand forth in her defence. The controversy, as it ex- 
ists in the United States, originated with the Romanists. 
It is of their own seeking. It ought, however, to be 
matter of joy, not of regret. These votaries of the 
" mystery of iniquity" have provoked Protestants to do 
what ought to have been done before. They have been 
met with a spirit and a force of argument truly gratify- 
ing to the friends of apostolic purity. But there is yet 
room for much more to be written and published. The 
battle, as I take it, is but just begun. And now that 
Protestants have been compelled, in fidelity to their mas- 
ter in heaven, to gird on their armour, and to lift the wea- 
pons of consecrated warfare ; I trust they will never be 
laid aside, until every family and individual in our land 
shall be distinctly put on their guard against the charac- 
ter and design of these foes of God and man. It is earn- 
estly to be hoped, however, that all who enter the lists 
in this warfare will be careful with respect to the wea- 
pons which they employ. Our weapons must not, like 
theirs, be " carnal," but " spiritual." These alone will 
be " mighty through God to the pulling down of strong 



INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 5 

holds." It was, therefore, with pleasure I learned that 
the author of the present volume intended to give a com- 
pendious view of the " History of Popery ." The truth 
is, the simple disclosure of facts is all that is necessary 
in this case. He who brings the corruptions of the Pa- 
pacy to the test of God's unerring word, and presents a 
dispassionate and unvarnished history of their rise, 
progress, and practical influence, cannot fail of con- 
vincing candid and intelligent minds of their pestiferous 
character. All we want, under God, to effect the over- 
throw of this enormous mass of error and superstition is 
light. Let light pervade our land; — let the Bible 
and the Sabbath School be placed within the reach of 
every adult and every child in the United States ; — let 
compends of instruction in reference to the Papacy be 
every where circulated ; — and let the watchmen on the 
walls of Zion, in the spirit of their Master, faithfully in- 
strugt and warn ; — and all will be well. It is only 
where gross ignorance, sensuality, and a willingness to 
be hoodwinked and deceived reign, that the Papacy can 
retain its power. 

It is deeply to be deplored that the importance of suit- 
able attention to this controversy is not more justly ap- 
preciated by the mass of our Protestant community. 
There are multitudes who think that there is not the 
least danger of the religion of the church of Rome gain- 
ing ground in our country ; and, of course, that all ef- 
forts to prevent this mischief are unnecessary. Such 
persons forget that, although the system of Popery is 
directly opposed to enlightened reason, and to the word 
of God, it presents very strong attractions to all those 
who are more fond of a splendid and gaudy ritual, than 
of a self-denying and spiritual religion. They forget 



<5 INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 

that this system of miserable superstition has been, in all 
ag\,s, the favorite resort of those who wish to bear the 
Christian name, and to cherish a hope of acceptance with 
God, without the sacrifice of a single lust. They forget 
that the plan of salvation revealed in the Gospel is of all 
proposals the most revolting to the proud heart of fallen 
man. They forget that the impenitent sinner is willing 
to undergo the heaviest drudgery of rites and ceremonies ; 
to fast ; to scourge and lacerate his body ; to pay money ; 
to submit to any prescribed penance or privation for a 
short time ; if by these means he may be certain of gain- 
ing the heavenly paradise. These he may be, and often 
is willing to give for such an assurance. But to give 
his heart to God ; to deny himself ; to renounce his own 
righteousness in every form ; to " crucify the flesh with 
the affections and lusts ;" to follow the Saviour as his 
Prophet, Priest and King ; as the Lord his righteous- 
ness, and the Lord his strength ; as his justifler, his mo- 
del, his life, his all ; — this he is not prepared to do, and 
cannot yield. 

" Now to relieve this proud and impenitent mind — 
which is the mind of all men by nature — the Roman 
Catholic system comes with promises and allurements 
of the most fascinating kind. It meets him with a scheme 
of most ingenious contrivances for satisfying every doubt, 
and removing every difficulty, — without any real holi- 
ness either of heart or life. It assures him, that if he 
live and die in communion with the Church of Rome, he 
is, of course, in real covenant and communion with 
Christ : — that there is no need of any radical change of 
heart, provided he will submit to the dictation and disci- 
pline of the constituted authorities of that Church : — that 
by the sacrament of Baptism, a priest can regenerate 



INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 7 

him, and that no other change than that which Baptism 
includes, need be sought or expected : — that by this bap- 
tism, when regularly administered, all his sins are taken 
away, and he reconciled to God :— that by a regular at- 
tendance on the sacrament of Penance, all his sins com- 
mitted, from time to time, after baptism, may be cer- 
tainly forgiven : — and that by a regular confession^and 
absolution during life, and the reception of Extreme 
Unction when he comes to die, he may be assured of 
everlasting happiness : — or that, at the worst, he will 
only be detained for a time in Purgatory ; which, how- 
ever, will be made as short and light as possible, if he 
bequeath a handsome sum to the Church ; or if his sur- 
viving friends shall pay liberally for the prayers that 
may be said, and the masses that may be performed for 
his soul." 

" According to this delusive system, then, a man may 
live and die without any real holiness, and yet, in spite 
of all the scripture has so solemnly pronounced to the 
contrary, may be certain of seeing the Lord in peace. 
He need not trouble himself to read the Scriptures. The 
Church reads, judges, and engages for him. The Church 
has a stock of merit to dispose of, which, upon being pro- 
perly paid for, she can set down to his account, and 
make available to his acceptance. So that, however mul- 
tiplied and enormous his sins, and however obstinately 
and impenitently persisted in, to the last hour of his life ; 
still if he submit to all the rites of the Church, and to all 
the penances imposed on him by the proper authority ; — 
he is certainly safe ; certainly secure of salvation. Such 
is the openly published and miserable system of these 
soul-destroying deceivers. In support of all these state- 
ments, testimony of the most unequivocal kind might be 



O INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 

adduced from Romish authorities of the highest charac- 
ter. We are aware, indeed, that most of the allegations 
above stated, have been either denied, or attempted to be 
explained away by ingenious apologists for Romish 
claims : — but we are very sure that, when the whole 
system, taken together, is compared with its highest offi- 
cial vouchers, our representation will be completely borne 
out in every particular."* 

In adopting the above quotation, as descriptive of the 
system of Romanism, no injustice is done to that system or 
its adherents. It is true, indeed, as the writer intimates, 
that several of the articles specified, are either wholly 
disowned, or artfully glossed over by ingenious Popish 
advocates, who wish to conciliate. But for every part of 
the statement, it is certain that high Romish authorities 
may be quoted ; and when we go among the mass of the 
adherents to the Papacy, and examine the principles and 
confidence which they cherish, and which they are dis- 
tinctly encouraged to cherish, facts are disclosed, on 
every side, which abundantly sustain the foregoing state- 
ment in all its extent. In fact, the whole system of the 
Church of Rome consists in putting a set of deified saints, 
and deified ceremonies in the place of Christ, as the 
ground of hope, while He is only nominally retained as 
the Saviour ; and, at the same time, presenting their 
miserable idolatry in such language, and clothing it in 
such an attractive, and even bewitching dress, that it 
bears away the ignorant and the unsuspecting with 
scarcely a thought of resistance. 

Is there no danger then, that this plausible, splendid, 
self-righteous system, so admirably adapted to dazzle and 
to captivate ; — is there no danger that it will deceive and 
* Biblical Repertory ', vol. v. p. 504, 505. 



INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 9 

lead away unwary souls ? So far is this from being the 
case, that we may say with confidence, the danger is im- 
minent. It is precisely that form of religious observance 
which best agrees with the proud, selfish and sensual 
nature of man. It has charms for the voluptuous, the 
gay, the dissipated and the worldly which scarcely any 
thing earthly can resist. It has exactly that to offer 
which the "carnal mind, which is enmity against God," 
will ever be found, while it remains such, to prefer to the 
pure, humbling, self-renouncing, and self-sacrificing plan 
of salvation through a crucified Redeemer ; — in one 
word, to the " simplicity that is in Christ." Truly in- 
stead of considering it as wonderful that, in a Protestant 
land, and in the nineteenth century, proselytes to the Pa- 
pacy are made, we ought rather to regard it as wonder- 
ful that they are not tenfold more numerous than we find 
them. 

Can any enlightened Protestant, then, suppose that 
there is no need of putting his children and the commu- 
nity at large, on their guard against this most profligate, 
and at the same time most insinuating and delusive of 
all the systems of error which bear the Christian name ? 
When the Papists are flooding our country with their 
ecclesiastics, their books, and their periodical papers ; — ■ 
,vhen they are sagaciously erecting seminaries of impo- 
sing and highly popular character, in many districts of 
the United States very imperfectly, if at all, furnished 
with sounder ones of equal reputation ; — when they are 
artfully opening these seminaries to students on cheaper 
terms than most others can afford, and in some cases in- 
siduously offering to receive Protestant children into 
their literary institutions free of all charge ; — when it is 

notorious that one great object of the seminaries in ques- 
2 



10 INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 

tion is to extend and facilitate the work of making prose- 
lytes to the Papacy ; — when we see adults, as well as 
children, in considerable numbers, actually made the 
dupes and the victims of these accepted offers ; — and 
when those high in ecclesiastical authority among them, 
are continually boasting of the number and importance 
of their converts ; — when facts of this kind are daily pre- 
sented to public view — I must say, if they are not serious 
and awakening in their aspect, I scarcely know what 
ought to be so deemed. If those who are " set for the 
defence of the Gospel," cannot see, and will not give 
warning of such facts, it is difficult to imagine what 
would be sufficient to rouse them to a faithful discharge 
of their duty. The Papists themselves speak without 
scruple of their proselyting projects. Archbishop Whit- 
field, of Baltimore, in a late report to an association in 
Vienna, formed for the express purpose of spreading Ro- 
manism in America, says — " I cannot omit mentioning, 
that in this school, as in all the Catholic institutions for 
education, a large proportion of the children are Protest- 
ants ; a circumstance which contributes not a little to the 
spread of our holy doctrine, and the removal of preju- 
dices." *• There are those, it seems, who will not believe 
them even on their own explicit and undisguised testi- 
mony ! 

Can Christians, or Christian ministers forget that this 
is a subject of the deepest interest to their own offspring, as 
well as to the whole Church of God in our land ? Can 
they forget that those large districts in which Popery, if 
not resisted and exposed, may become predominent, may 
be hereafter the residence of their children, or their chil- 
dren's children, where they may be ensnared and ruined 
forever ? Can they forget that Popery is, in its own na- 



INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 11 

ture, a system of tyranny over both the minds and bodies 
of men ; that it openly sets at naught the rights of con- 
science ; that where it reigns, it is essentially destructive 
of civil and religious liberty ; and that, if it should ever 
obtain the ascendency in our beloved country, we may 
bid farewell to that liberty with which it has pleased 
Him who " sits as Governor among the nations" to make 
us free ? Surely every feeling of natural affection, of 
Christian benevolence, and of enlightened patriotism 
should inspire an interest in this subject of the most in- 
tense character. 

Let it not be said, that, while Popery is, in some 
countries, a corrupt, and corrupting system ; while, for 
example, in Spain, in Portugal and in Italy, it holds 
a gloomy and a pernicious reign ; — it is, in the United 
States, a harmless thing, divested, in a great measure, if 
not entirely, of every formidable and threatening feature. 
Many Protestants are entirely deceived by impressions 
of this kind. They hear some plausible and artful Pa- 
pist pleading the cause of his religion ; denying some of 
the most serious imputations against it, and disguising 
others under the most ingenious glosses ; — they hear 
these representations, and wonder why good people 
should be so much prejudiced against Roman Catholics ! 
This is an utter delusion. The spirit of the Papacy is 
the very same at this hour, that it was when Luther took 
his life in his hand, and went forth against the embattled 
hosts of superstition and sin. There can, indeed, be no 
change without an abandonment of her essential princi- 
ples. It is her glory, her votaries tell us, that she is, in 
all respects, the same, in the United States, and in the 
nineteenth century, that she ever was. And they say 
the truth. It is even so. She has undergone no essen- 



12 



INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 



tial change. Like all systems, indeed, of profound and 
organized falsehood, she can alter her tones, her profes- 
sions, and even her aspect, at pleasure ; but the moment 
she is placed in circumstances which allow her to act 
out her genuine spirit, we find it to be the very same 
spirit which established the Inquisition in the twelfth 
century ; which butchered the poor and pious Wal- 
denses, in their secluded vallies, in the fifteenth and 
seventeenth ; which, for ages, imprisoned and burnt the 
objects of their cupidity or resentment, without mercy ; 
and which has never ceased, since she possessed the 
power, to deceive, cheat, oppress and destroy those whom 
she could subjugate to her will, under the pretext of con- 
ducting them to happiness here and hereafter. 

And what principle or practice has the Papacy aban- 
doned, in modern times, or in this country, which she 
was able to maintain ? Does she not to this hour con- 
tinue to assert the infallibility of the Pope, and his right 
to pronounce what is the will of Christ, without appeal 
even to the Scriptures ? Does she not virtually contend 
for tradition, and for uninspired Councils and Fathers, 
as equal, or rather paramount, as a rule of faith, to the 
infallible Word ? Does she not maintain, as openly and 
zealously as ever, the doctrine of human merit, as the 
foundation of hope toward God ; of works of supereroga- 
tion ; and of indulgences to sin purchased by the pay- 
ment of money ? Does she not still hold the doctrine of 
Tra?isubstantiation, " that enormous outrage on every 
dictate of sense and reason, as well as of Scripture ?" 
Does she not still hold fast to her system of " auricular 
confession," which opens a door to almost every species 
of licentiousness, and oppression ? Has she not, within 
a few years, deliberately restored the power and the cru- 



INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 13 

elties of the Inquisition, an institution which, perhaps* 
has been the means of inflicting more injury and misery, 
and of bringing on individuals and families a larger 
amount of destruction to life, liberty, and peace than any 
other that ever bore the Christian name ? Does she not, 
after all her multiplied denials of the fact, continue to 
lock up the Scriptures from the common people, and re- 
quire them to read such parts only of the inspired volume 
as the Church allows them to see ; and to put upon it 
that interpretation which the Church commands them to 
adopt ? Has she not recently restored the order of the 
Jesuits, whose doctrinal and moral profligacy caused 
them, more than half a century ago, to be expelled from 
the territory of almost every state in Europe, not even 
excepting those under the dominion of Rome ; and finally 
to be abolished by the Pope, as a disgrace to Christen- 
dom ? An order, concerning which Mr. Hume has said, 
that " by the very nature of their institution, they were 
engaged to pervert learning ; to refine away the plainest 
dictates of morality ; and to erect a regular system of 
casuistry, by which prevarication, perjury, and every 
crime, where it served their ghostly purposes, might be 
justified and defended." Does she not insist as much as 
ever on the celibacy of the clergy, with all the appalling 
mass of abominations with which that restriction has been 
always connected ? Does she not still endeavor, as far 
as practicable, to subject the intellectual powers, the con- 
sciences, the literary pursuits, the inquiries, and the pro- 
perty of men to her oppressive domination ? Are these 
symptoms of returning moderation or purity ? True, 
she does not practice some of her worst enormities in 
this country. The unbridled profligacy of her Monas- 
teries and Nunneries ; the heart-rending cruelties of the 



14 INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 

Inquisition ; the public sale of Indulgences to commit 
the most shocking crimes ; the open claims of dominion 
over the consciences and the persons of men ; and the 
fires of Smithfield and of Constance have not yet been 
re-acted in our happy land. But why ? Simply because 
public opinion, and public law render it impracticable. 
That the Papal system itself is still favorable to all these 
enormities, it is no want of charity to say, because that 
"infallible and unchanging Church," in all countries in 
which she dares to do so, is actually still exhi- 
biting THOSE ENORMITIES, WITHOUT RELENTING OR 

shame ! As long, then, as this ecclesiastical power re- 
tains these principles, and practices these crimes, can we 
be mistaken in applying to it those tremendous titles 
which the Spirit of Prophecy evidently employs to de- 
signate his character ; — " the Man of sin ;" "the Son of 
perdition ;" " the Anti-christ," who " opposeth and exalt- 
eth himself above all that is called God, or that is wor- 
shipped IV 

The character of the late Bishop Watson, as remark- 
ably free from a spirit of bigotry, and what some are dis- 
posed to call " puritanical prejudice," is well known. 
Yet he, in reference to the subject before us, has ex- 
pressed himself in the following terms : 

" That the Popish religion is the Christian religion, is 
a false position ; and therefore Christianity may be true, 
though the religion of the Church of Rome be, in many 
of its parts, an imposture. This observation should al- 
ways be kept in mind by such as are sent to finish their 
education by travelling in Catholic countries. It may 
seem paradoxical to assert, that the corruptions of any 
religion can be proofs of its truth ; yet the corruptions of 
the Christian religion, as practised by the Church of 



INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 15 

Rome, are certain proofs of the truth of the Christian re- 
ligion ; inasmuch as they are exact completions of the 
prophecies which were delivered hy Daniel, St. Paul, 
and St. John, concerning that apostacy from the faith, 
which was to take place in latter times. I have known 
the infidelity of more than one young man happily re- 
moved, by showing him the characters of Popery deli- 
neated by St. Paul, in his prophecy concerning the 
'Man of Sin' (2 Thess. ii. 1) and in that concerning 
the apostacy of latter times (1 Tim. iv. 1.) Bishop 
Hurd, in his seventh sermon at Warburton's Lecture, has 
given a concise history of the charge of Anti-christia?iism, 
which has, at different times, been brought against the 
Church of Rome. Dr. Whitaker, Regius Professor of Di- 
vinity at Cambridge, in his exercise for his degree at the 
commencement in 1582, supported this Thesis — 'Pontifex 
Romanus est ille Antichristus quern futurum Scriptura 
praedixit ;' i. e. ' The Pope of Rome is that Antichrist 
whom the Scripture foretold as to come.' He had, before 
that time, refuted the forty arguments by which Nicholas 
Sanders boasted that he had demonstrated that the Pope 
was not Antichrist. Whitaker's works are very well 
worth being looked into by those who would know what 
can be said for and against the other principal points in 
controversy between Protestants and Papists, as well as 
against this primary pillar of the Reformed faith 
— That the Hierarchy of the Church of Rome is the 
Little Horn of Daniel, the Man of Sin of St. Paul, and 
the Antichrist of St. John. The evidence arising from 
the completion of the prophecies relative to the Rise, 
Character, and Fall of the Man of Sin, is an increasing 
evidence. It strikes us with more force than it struck 
our ancestors before the Reformation ; and it will strike 



16 INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 

our posterity, who shall observe the different gradations 
of his decline, and his final catastrophe, with more force 
than it now strikes us."* 

There is one serious disadvantage under which Pro- 
testants labour in engaging in controversy with the Ro- 
manists, which it gives me pain to notice, but which can- 
not, in justice to the cause of truth, be overlooked. The 
professed morality of the former is pure and strict ; 
whereas, that of the latter is radically corrupt and eva- 
sive. The doctrine, that " no faith is to be kept with he- 
retics ;" and that it is lawful to " do evil that good may 
come ;" in other words, that there is no harm in denying, 
equivocating, concealing, deceiving, and uttering direct 
falsehoods, for the sake of bringing men into the " true 
Church," or defending the character of that Church, is a 
doctrine so well known to be practically adopted by the ad- 
vocates of the Papacy, that they require to be as diligently 
watched as a highwayman, or an assassin in the dark. 
The late controversy with the Romanists, as conducted 
in our principal cities, afforded specimens of these profli- 
gate and dishonorable arts, as numerous as they were 
revolting. Misrepresentations the most gross were not 
only made, but after their falsehood was demonstrated, 
were persisted in with a recklessness truly astonishing. 
With such adversaries, it is difficult for men of truth and 
of delicacy to carry on a contest. To employ their own 
weapons is inadmissible : while to follow them in all 
their subterfuges of evasion and falsehood, is as painful 
as it is tedious ; and may, after all, fail of satisfying those 



* Theological Tracts, Vol. V. Prefatory Remarks on Benson's 
Essay on the Man of Sin. 



INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 17 

who are of such a temperament, as to be borne down by 
a brazen and insolent front. 

I am aware that some, who profess to be fully con- 
vinced that Romanism is a corrupt and a mischievous 
system, are prejudiced against all controversy, as such, 
and deny that it is useful to employ it even in defence of 
the truth. They imagine that all animadversion on the 
religious tenets of others, and especially all denunciation 
of them, as unscriptural and dangerous, tend to evil only, 
and ought to be avoided. If the eye of any such Protes- 
tant should light on this page, he is earnestly entreated 
to ponder well the following questions. — Are there not 
really fundamental errors, which amount to "another 
Gospel," and which the inspired apostle has pronounced 
" damnable heresies ?" If this be so, ought not our chil- 
dren and neighbours, who may be assailed sooner than 
we imagine by these heresies, to be distinctly put on their 
guard against them ? Is not all error mischievous in its 
tendency, and therefore to be avoided and opposed? Are 
we not enjoined to " try the spirits whether they are of God, 
seeing many false prophets are gone out into the world ?" 
Nay, are we not expressly commanded, to " contend earn- 
estly for the faith once delivered to the saints ?" Can we, 
therefore, without unfaithfulness to our Master in heaven, 
suffer mischievous error to be propagated around us, with- 
out an effort to oppose and refute it ? Does not the word of 
God represent the children of men as, universally, by 
nature, disposed to embrace error rather than truth ; and 
does it not represent one great object of the institution of 
a Church on earth, as being to lift up a Standard, and 
bear a solemn, and a constant testimony against corrup- 
tion in principle and practice? Have not Christians 
been called, in fact, in all ages to defend the truth against 



18 INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 

gainsayers ; and has not controversy been ever the prin- 
cipal means, under the power of the Holy Spirit, of sup- 
porting and extending Gospel truth ? Is it not manifest- 
ly, then, one of the most important duties which we owe 
to God, and our fellow men — "to prove all things;" to 
" hold fast that which is good ;" to warn the ignorant and 
unwary against the " instruction that causeth to err ;" and 
to be well established in the truth ? Nay, is it possible 
to avoid controversy, in such a world as this, without 
a dereliction of duty ? Truly, if there be any lesson 
taught in the Bible, it is, that Christians cannot witness 
the prevalence of corruption, whether in principle or 
practice, without lifting against it a warning voice, and 
employing for its overthrow all the authorized weapons 
of their hallowed warfare, unless they would sin against 
God, and "offend against the generation of the right- 
eous." 

With regard to the ensuing " History of Popery," my 
engagements as well as my situation in regard to the ma- 
nuscript, and the press, have prevented my giving it an 
entire perusal. But my knowledge of the truly respec- 
table character of the Author, as well as the cursory in- 
spection which I have been able to give to some detached 
parts of the work, — satisfy me that it may be read with 
entire confidence, and that it is adapted to do much good. 
So far as my observation has gone, I am persuaded that 
no statement is made but on the best authority ; that in a 
number of cases, the picture might have been made dark- 
er without injustice ; and that the whole is executed in a 
manner, which, while it reflects honor on the writer, is 
well worthy of the careful perusal of all who wish to be 
able to " give a reason of the hope that is in them," and 
to warn their children, and others around them, against 
those delusions which destroy the soul. 

SAMUEL MILLER. 

Princeton, March 28, 1834. 



AUTHOR'S PREFACE. 

It will not be denied by any correct observer of the signs 
of the times, that the inhabitants of this land have occasion 
to inform themselves thoroughly respecting the merits of 
popery. This would be true, if we consider only the intrin- 
sic importance of the subject. Popery has deeply affected 
the greater part of the visible Christian world, and spread its 
influence far and wide in the earth. Wherever it goes, it 
strikes its roots deep into all the interests and relations of 
life. It takes hold on civil as well as religious concerns : it 
insinuates itself into the retirement of social and domestic 
intercourse : it thrusts its meddling fingers into every trans- 
action, and claims the right to control all that pertains to the 
body or soul, to time or eternity. Popery, therefore, it must 
be confessed, involves the interests and happiness of the 
human race to an immeasurable extent. For this reason it 
certainly ought to be well understood. If it is good, and cal- 
culated to promote the best interests of social and moral 
beings, then by all means let it be well known, that all may 
partake of its blessings. But if it be bad, it ought no less to 
be known, that its baleful influence may be avoided, and its 
dominion dissolved. Any cause which exerts so powerful 
an influence on the interests of man as popery, ought to be 
thoroughly explored and fully disclosed, that every one con- 
cerned may be able to form a correct opinion of its merits. 
And in this age, and this land of free inquiry, popery can 
expect no less. Her votaries will not be summoned before 
the tribunal of the inquisition, nor will they be examined by 
rack and torture. This regimen is peculiar to popery ; but 
they are summoned to the bar of public opinion, from which 
there is no appeal. Let popery then prepare to lay off her 
cloaks and pretences, and to appear in her true character. 

In addition to the above mentioned considerations of uni- 
versal application, the people of this land have still more 
urgent motives to investigate the length, breadth, and depth 
of popery. Our country is blessed with a government of 



XX 

perfect religious toleration. That is to say, every person is 
secure in such religious belief and practice as he prefers, pro- 
vided he does not infringe on the existence and exercise of 
this right in his fellow-citizens. This principle of toleration, 
among those denominations which allow the benefits of it 
to others, as well as take advantage of it themselves, is per- 
fectly safe and equitable. But under the dominion of popery 
we find a community of men, who claim the right to control, 
not only their own faith and practice, but that of all others. 
They are the oracles of truth : with them dwells infallibility : 
and all who differ from them are of course heretics : and as 
such, unworthy of the common civilities and rights of men. 
They claim it as their right, and regard it as their bounden 
duty, to compel by physical force, nay, by tortures and death, 
the assent of all their fellow-men to their belief, and con- 
formity to their dictates. "What, then, is the effect of tole- 
ration in regard to papists 1 It is simply this : they are pro- 
tected and cherished in common with all other citizens, until 
they can gain power sufficient to subjugate and destroy all 
others. Popery takes advantage of toleration while circum- 
stances require it, but it cannot, in consistency, extend that 
toleration to others. It takes advantage of a free govern- 
ment to gain power, but it must,, to maintain consistency, 
destroy every free government, just as soon as it has the 
power in possession. It is like the serpent, benumbed with 
cold, which a countryman brought to his fireside. But no 
sooner did the reptile feel the genial heat restoring his wonted 
activity, than he fell to biting the children. The uniform 
practice of papists, in all countries where they have possessed 
the power, shows that they well understand what consistency, 
with their principles, demands. For when or where did any 
one ever hear of toleration or freedom in a government wielded 
by their hands ? 

The number of papists bound together, and to the pope of 
Rome, by a tie, and by sympathies, which in their view are 
paramount to every other, is rapidly increasing and spreading 
in our country. And while we cannot turn away our eyes 
from this fact, we ought to recollect that our government is 
not only one of toleration, but also that it is elective. In 
other words, that it is entirely in the hands of the people. If 
the views and principles of the people change, a corresponding 



AUTHORS PREFACE. XXI 

change of the government must follow. There is no spell 
or charm in republicanism that can preserve it a moment 
after the people become bent on oppression. Look, then, at 
the floods of immigration which are pouring in upon us from 
popish countries. Look at the natural inclination of men of 
all countries to embrace false religion. Look at the boldness 
and activity of the emissaries of the pope in this country : 
the treasures which are opened in Europe for their encou- 
ragement and support : and say, is it not possible that popery 
may, in an evil hour, by adroitly adjusting herself to some 
party interest, seize the reins of our government ? Suppose 
it done, and all our free institutions would wither as leaves 
touched with frost. Suppose it done, and what is the 
prospect at once presented to every other class of citi- 
zens? What says the record of past ages, the experience 
of the exiled, persecuted, worn out servants of the Lord, 
in past periods of the world, to this question? What 
could any who differ from them expect but the dungeons 
of the inquisition, the fire and faggots of persecution? Po- 
pery has hitherto taken advantage of the want of informa- 
tion respecting it, which extensively prevails in this country. 
It has not made efforts or pretensions here until recently, and 
what has been known concerning it, has been derived from 
the stories and reports of other limes, and other parts of the 
world, but in which we have felt no personal interest. But 
this scantiness of information is highly auspicious to the 
cause of popery. Darkness is her element. And where ig- 
norance and apathy reign, where the press is silent, there she 
will come forth, not to show herself, but to exhibit her delu- 
sive pageantry. She will artfully conceal her designs, while 
she amuses with many things that bear the epithet holy. 
There is the holy cross, the holy wafer, the holy water, 
the holy virgin, the holy saints, the holy priests, the holy 
pope, and many other things as holy as these. There are 
the traditions of men, the orders and decrees of councils 
made for occasion, there are pictures, images, bones, garments, 
and hair of saints, and if you will implicitly believe, and ask 
no questions, there are miracles too. And while the attention 
of the ignorant and superstitious is rivetted by these shows, 
theii bands are made strong, and like the heedless fly, they 
are implicated in a web from which there is little hope of 
2** 



xxu author's preface. 

escape. But in all this, observe, popery shows only the fair 
side. She keeps back out of sight her apparatus of racks 
and tortures. She will mock at your fears of the blood- 
thirsty inquisition. And if you relate what popery has been 
in other countries and at other times, she pretends there is 
some relaxation of the system, and that popery has fallen 
violently in love with free government and republican insti- 
tutions. Let this process go on without exposure, and who 
will venture to insure our own country against papal domi- 
nion ? Moreover, this outside religion, this show and gri- 
mace, this buying salvation by bowing and muttering, and 
withal, by the virtue of the purse, is taking in our world. It 
is just what men will prefer, if their consciences and under- 
standings are not loo much enlightened to admit its moral 
deformity and its absurdity. What then is to be done ? 
Shall popery be met with restrictive and penal statues, with 
the arm of civil authority or physical force ? By no means. 
This would be utterly inconsistent with the genius of our 
free institutions, and the spirit of our religion. Popery may 
propagate her cause by fraud or blood, but no good cause can 
flourish by such means. How then shall it be met ? The 
answer is, by evidence and argument. Let public opinion be 
enlightened, let popery be examined and exposed, leave no 
nook for it to hide. Pour in light upon its dark recesses. 
If it will intrude into our country, insist upon it, that it shall 
come in its true character. Tear away every mask, cloak 
and curtain, show it to the world as it is. Write, print, pub- 
lish, read, converse, till the important facts respecting this 
subject have a general circulation in the community. If ship 
loads of papists are landed on our shores from lands of dark- 
ness, let them find that they have come into a land of light. 
If men and women will be papists in this land of freedom, 
they shall have no excuse. They shall know what they em- 
brace, yes, and the world shall know likewise, and they shall 
take the responsibility of such a choice. To effect this pur- 
pose, however, the friends of truth and liberty must be on 
the alert. In several respects, misapprehension appears to 
prevail in this country in regard to popery. One is, that it is 
a branch of Christianity, and though a corruption, yet that it 
contains something of pure Christian principle. But atten- 
tion to the facts in the case will show that this is an utter mis- 



author's PREFACE. XX111 

take. Popery has no more relation to Christianity than a 
dead carcass has to a living man. It has not so much. For 
it is not only destitute of vital energy, it is an apostacy, and 
an enemy to all evangelical principle. 

Another respect in which the subject is misapprehended is, 
that in this land we have nothing to fear from it. And what 
are the grounds of this opinion'? Are they, that popery 
changes its character by treading our soil, and becomes com- 
paratively harmless ? Fatal infatuation ! Is not popery in- 
fallible and immutable? What change, then, can be ex- 
pected, but that which is produced by present necessity, and 
is therefore temporary ? Is it said the public mind will not 
bear its grosser parts, and therefore they will not be obtruded % 
But how long will it take popery to produce a state of public 
feeling that will bear all its enormities ? 

Another misapprehension is, that popery can be put down 
by railing and denunciation. This course favors popery, by 
exciting public sympathy, without enlightening public opi- 
nion. Popery may rail, and denounce, and banter, it will 
receive no injury. Like all error it has an affinity to such 
weapons. But truth cannot be defended by like means with- 
out a tarnish, if without a deep wound. And if the advo- 
cates of tmth are provoked to take up these weapons, they 
should, as David did with the armor of Saul, lay them down 
again as soon as possible. Truth needs not such defence, 
error has no other. Some one has finely remarked concerning 
the course which Michael took, when disputing with Satan 
about the body of Moses, that he durst not bring a railing ac- 
cusation, because he knew that he should then be on Satan's 
own ground, and that Satan, being an adept in the business, 
could outrail him. The rebuke of the Lord, and of this 
simple fact, is all the resort we need in meeting popery. 

The foregoing views of this subject have had their influ- 
ence in producing the following history. The plan is to give 
a connected narrative, in brief, of the rise, progress, and ma- 
turity of this power, and then to take a view of its leading 
doctrines and practices, as they have been exhibited in the 
course of events, and are to be gained from authentic 
sources. 

The following history, of course, will lay in no claim to 
originality. It is a compilation and abridgment. And 



xxiv author's preface. 

though the statements are designed and believed to be 
strictly authentic, yet, as it is an object in this work to avoid 
prolixity and expensiveness, it is not deemed expedient to 
specify the authorities. Few of them could probably be re- 
ferred to by the reader, if they were named, and those who 
have access to the authorities will not need the reference. 
It may be here observed, however, in general terms, that the 
works from which the compilation is principally made, are 
Mosheim's, and Milner's histories, McGavin's Protestant, 
and Cramp's Text Book of Popery. 

That the truth will finally prevail there is no doubt. But 
that it will prevail by efforts and means, is equally certain. 
If the present effort shall in any measure subserve the cause 
of truth, the best interests of man, and the glory of the Re- 
deemer, the intentions of the compiler will be fulfilled. 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 



SECTION I. 



THE ORIGIN OF POPERY. 



The term Popery is derived from Papa, which signi- 
fies a Father. In its ecclesiastical use, it denotes the 
supremacy of the Bishop of Rome, as the earthly head or 
father of the church universal, including all the professed 
followers of Christ on earth. It is true that the term pope 
has been applied, by some writers, to the bishops of Rome 
from the earliest times. But this is calculated to mislead 
the mind of the reader. For the truth is, the bishops of 
Rome were never designated by this title until after su- 
premacy was achieved. And by modern writers only 
has this title been carried back and applied to bishops in 
the early days of Christianity. To call Peter or Clement 
I. a pope, is paying a modern compliment, which either 
of these men, or their immediate successors, would have 
little relished. It was not the mind of Christ that any 
among his disciples should be called Rabbi, or Father, 
by way of distinction. But he would have them esteem 
each other brethren, and the servants or ministers of 
Christ and the church. And Peter was content to follow 
this advice of his Lord and Master ; for he styles him- 
self, in one of his epistles, " Simon Peter, a servant and 
an apostle of Jesus Christ." Paul was of the same mind, 
when he says — " who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, 
but ministers (servants) by whom ye believed even as the 
Lord gave to every man." Again, " Let a man so ac- 
count of us as of the ministers (servants) of Christ, and 
stewards of the mvsteries of God." Peter and Paul 

3 



26 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

therefore never aspired to any higher title of dignity than 
that of servant. The same is true of the primitive minis- 
ters of the church. And when we read of the popes of 
Rome in histories which relate to the early ages of the 
Christian church, we are exposed to imposition. This 
is mere artifice, to give the authority of antiquity to the 
name and usurpation which it expressed in after times. 
By this artifice many are doubtless led to suppose that 
the church of Rome and her bishops must have had, from 
the beginning, some kind of superiority. But the illu- 
sion will vanish when we reflect that, in primitive times, 
the bishops of Rome were not called popes, either by 
themselves or their cotemporaries ; and that they receive 
this title from those who wrote about them, after the 
church of Rome, and the pope, as her head, had appeared 
as Anti-Christ, or the oppressor of the true church. 

The origin of popery therefore, accurately speaking, 
must be found in the public announcement of the bishop 
of Rome as universal bishop, or supreme head of the 
church. This event occurred near the beginning of the 
seventh century, under the following circumstances. — 
After the conversion of the emperor Constantine to the 
Christian faith, and in consequence of the affluence of 
power and favor which some of the chief bishops expe- 
rienced, they began to feel the movings of ambition. 
From their intimacy with the emperor, they were soon 
led to affect the pomp and circumstance of imperial dig- 
nity. The bishop of Rome, especially, as he was sta- 
tioned in the imperial city, began to feel the powerful 
workings of this leaven. He would have all the world 
submit to him in matters of religion, even as they sub- 
mitted to the emperor in civil matters. But the world, 
or the churches in different parts of the world, was not 
yet prepared for this domineering. Some bishops of the 
east held a council without asking leave of the bishop of 
Rome. Julius, the bishop at that day, stormed at this 
presumption. But the other bishops, knowing this to be 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 27 

mere usurpation, treated the wrath of the bishop of Rome 
with contempt, and shortly after held another council at 
Antioch. But the pretensions of the bishops of Rome 
continued to rise and strengthen from year to year, until 
we arrive at the time of Gregory, commonly called the 
great. He, though in many respects better than most of 
his successors in the see of Rome, was still intent on ex- 
tending the power of his office. And, though under great 
obligations to the emperor Mauritius, and bound by many 
professions of friendship, no sooner was the emperor 
murdered by Phocas the rebel, who made himself empe- 
ror, than Gregory acknowledged him, sent a legate to 
him, and afforded him all the assistance in his power. 
He received from this abominable tyrant all those offices 
which might contribute to his own greatness. And thus 
he raised the papacy to a higher degree of power and 
wealth than it had ever before possessed. 

But in all his greatness and glory, the bishop of Rome 
had a powerful rival, who had also fixed his eye on su- 
premacy ; this was the bishop of Constantinople. The 
emperor Constantine had removed the seat of the empire 
to the city called after his own name. Constantinople 
became an imperial city, and the fact soon began to mani- 
fest its natural influence in the feelings and aims of its 
bishops. Violent, and for a time doubtful, was the strug- 
gle for supreme authority between the bishops of the two 
imperial cities. The bishop of Constantinople, however, 
appears at first to have taken the lead of his rival at Rome, 
in climbing the ladder of ambition. He assumed the title 
of universal bishop, and had at least the authority of one 
council and the consent of one emperor for this proceed- 
ing. But when these tidings reached the bishop of Rome, 
he became mightily alarmed. In this assumption the 
bishop of Rome could see blasphemy and diabolical in- 
fluence : he even discovered Anti-Christ himself as near 
at hand. He saw the very religion of Christ in immi* 
nent danger, not because the bishop of the east had as- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 



sumed a higher title than was due to him, but because the 
very title itself implied every thing that was impious. 
The zeal of the bishop of Rome to withstand this ap- 
proaching evil, knew no bounds. He wrote to his am- 
bassador at the court, charging him to exert his influence 
with the emperor and empress, and with the bishop him- 
self, to prevent the inroads of such a proud, profane, un- 
christian title as universal bishop. Gregory also wrote 
to the bishop of Constantinople, and remonstrated with 
him in a most urgent and pathetic strain, loading the title 
of universal bishop with most opprobrious epithets. He 
did not hesitate to call it vain, ambitious, execrable, anti- 
christian, blasphemous, infernal, and diabolical. He 
compares him who assumes this title to Lucifer, and pro- 
nounces the assumption an imitation of his arrogance. 
The Roman bishop also declares that Peter, Paul, An- 
drew, and John, were but members of the universal 
church, and none of them, or any of the apostles, pre- 
sumed to be called its head or bishop. " And now," said 
he to his dear brother of Constantinople, " if none of the 
apostles would be called head of the universal church, 
what will you answer on the last day to Christ, who is 
himself the only universal Head ? But this is the time," 
continues he, " which Christ himself foretold ; the earth 
is now laid waste and destroyed with the plague and the 
sword ; all things that have been predicted are now ac- 
complished; the king of pride, that is, Anti-Christ, is at 
hand ; and, what I dread to say, an army of priests is. 
ready to receive him. For they who were chosen to point 
out to others the way of meekness and humility, are 
themselves now become the slaves of pride and ambition." 
The attentive reader will here discover important tes- 
timony from this bishop of Rome concerning the nature 
of that assumption by which his successors have been 
distinguished. When he saw popery commencing in his 
rival, he could preach against it with all the point and 
power of a Luther or Calvin. And however inconsistent 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 29 

with his own practice or that of his successors, the 
preaching was doubtless good, and deserving of careful 
attention. It cuts up popery, root and branch, without 
mercy. 

But the exhortations of Gregory were lost on his dear 
brother the eastern pope, and he next addressed himself 
directly to the emperor Mauritius, and the empress, de- 
claiming against the anti-christian title and bishop as dis- 
turbing the peace of the church, and the order of Christ. 
But he was no more successful with the emperor than 
with the bishop. The emperor, in fact, favored the de- 
signs of his bishop, as suitable for the bishop of what he 
wished to be considered the imperial city. And perceiv- 
ing the emperor did not enter into his views, Gregory 
appears to have become disaffected towards him. And 
when the emperor and his children were murdered by 
Phocas, Gregory could not contain his joy. He wrote 
to Phocas in the most flattering style. " We," says he, 
" have been hitherto most grievously afflicted ; but the 
Almighty hath chosen you and placed you on the impe- 
rial throne, to banish, by your merciful disposition, all 
our affliction and sorrows. Let the heavens therefore 
rejoice, let the earth leap for joy, let the whole people re- 
turn thanks for so happy a change. May the republic 
long enjoy these most happy times. May God, with his 
grace, direct your heart in every good thought, in every 
good deed ! May the Holy Ghost that dwells in your 
breast ever guide and assist you, and that you, after a 
long course of years, pass from an earthly and temporal, 
to an everlasting and heavenly kingdom." 

Gregory probably considered the power of universal 
bishop safer to the church at Rome than at Constantinople. 
For that which called forth all this extravagant joy and 
adulation seems to have been, that the prerogatives of uni- 
versal bishop were now in the way to be transferred from 
the latter to the former see. In the course of the trans- 
fer, the infernal, diabolical, blasphemous and anti-chris- 
3* 



30 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

tian qualities of the odious title appear, in Gregory's 
view, to have fallen off. The mutual gratulations of the 
bishop and the usurper, seem to have been occasioned by 
their power to aid each other in their designs of elevation. 
Thus a holy father of Rome, virtually entered into a 
league with the traitor and murderer Phocas, to advance 
their mutual interests. And the papists are welcome to 
all the execrations and anathemas, which their holy father 
Gregory pronounced on that title, by which the bishops 
of Rome have been distinguished from the time of Phocas 
till now. 

In the event, Phocas was proclaimed emperor, and 
though Gregory did not live to enjoy the fruits of this re- 
volution, though he did not, in his own person, become 
universal bishop, yet Phocas conferred the title on a suc- 
cessor shortly after. This successor, who was properly 
the first pope, was Boniface III. He prevailed upon the 
bloody Phocas to revoke the decree of the empire which 
conferred the dignity of universal bishop on the prelate 
of Constantinople, and obtained a new decree conferring 
this title on himself and his successors. This was the 
origin of popery. Here commenced that system of spi- 
ritual domination, which has covered the church with 
sackcloth, and drenched the earth with blood. 

But it is here very properly inquired, what validity had 
this grant or decree of Phocas to constitute a bishop of 
Rome universal bishop ? What had Phocas to do with 
the church of Christ, which is not of this world, that he 
should presume to regulate her affairs ? The transaction 
strongly reminds one of a grant which was attempted to 
be made on another occasion ; when the tempter offered 
to our Saviour all the kingdoms of the world, and the 
glory of them, if he would fall down at his feet in an act 
of worship. Our Saviour promptly refused an offer so 
absurd as well as impious. But the bishop of Rome, on 
the contrary, was satisfied to receive his grant of supreme 
authority in the church, from one who had as little right 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 31 

to bestow the gift, as Satan had to give the kingdoms of 
the world. To a reflecting mind it must be matter of 
serious objection to the authority of the pope, that it was 
first derived from a traitor and a murderer. But with 
those who ground the claim to power on the ability to 
exercise it, such considerations will have but little weight. 
Whatever might have been the right or the wrong in the 
case, the power was real and effective ; for it was backed 
by the forces of the empire, at the nod of a tyrant, and 
it has been in many cases exercised in a manner worthy 
of its origin. 

The pope, in consequence, of this grant, became a god 
on earth. He sat in the temple of God, showing himself 
as God. And no sooner did he find himself announced 
as head of the church, than he took measures to render 
this dignity something more than a sound or a title. He 
set himself at work to make the most of his grant, and se- 
cure his acquisition. He immediately called a council at 
Rome, and procured a decree that no election of a bishop 
should thenceforth be deemed lawful and good, unless made 
by the people and clergy, approved by the prince or lord of 
the city, and confirmed by the pope. Thus the pope held a 
veto over all appointments in the church, and bound to 
himself all the bishops, and through them, all the inferior 
clergy, and through them again, all the people. So that 
the pope became absolute monarch of the whole of Chris- 
tendom. His power, however, was still restricted to ec- 
clesiastical affairs. Another kind of power was necessary 
to satisfy his ambition, and enable him to fulfil all his de- 
signs. A temporal sceptre, and the command of an 
armed force, were deemed indispensable to his plans. 
To effect this purpose he resorted to another traitor, 
whose rebellion and usurpation he encouraged, and by 
whose favor he obtained the sovereign power over cer- 
tain portions of rich territory in Italy, such as the king- 
dom of the Heruli, of the Ostrogoths, and of Lombardy, 
and the exarchate of Ravenna. The man who was the 



32 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

instrument of this accession to papal power was Pepin, 
the usurping king of France. This Pepin was chief 
counsellor and commander under Childeric, the lawful 
king- of the Franks. The king was a weak prince, and 
confided greatly in his chief counsellor, Pepin, who 
thought himself more fit to reign than his sovereign, and 
waited only for some pretext under which to execute his 
purpose. He resolved to take the opinion of the pope 
on the following abstract question, viz., " Who best de- 
serves the honor of a king, he who has the power, or he 
who has only the title ?" The crafty pope, to whom 
the question was proposed,. at once comprehended its im- 
port, and declared that in his opinion he ought to be con- 
sidered the king, who possessed the power, rather than 
he who had the title. The aspiring Pepin now had, 
what he considered, divine authority for dethroning his 
sovereign, which he did. As a natural consequence, the 
pope would now look to Pepin for aid in time of need. 
The occasion was not slow to occur. The pope, having 
a quarrel with the king of the Lombards, and being una- 
ble to resist that powerful prince, applied, with great 
earnestness, to Pepin for succour. The king of the 
Franks could not but acknowledge his obligations to his 
holiness the pope, and brought to his aid such a force as 
made the king of the Lombards quickly submit, and pro- 
mise to give up the territory he had severed from the 
empire, not to its rightful owner, but to the pope. But 
no sooner had Pepin withdrawn from the scene of con- 
flict, than the Lombard king violated all his engage- 
ments, and attacked the pope afresh. He laid siege to 
Rome itself, and was at the point of taking the holy city, 
when the pope, in his distress, sent the following epistle 
to the king of the Franks : — " To defend the church is of 
all works most meritorious, and that to which is reserved 
the greatest reward in the world to come. God might 
himself have defended his church, or have raised up 
others to defend the just rights of his apostle, St. Peter. 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 33 

But it pleased him to choose you, my most excellent son, 
out of the whole human race, for that holy purpose. 
For it was in compliance with his divine inspiration and 
command that I applied to you, that I came into your 
kingdom, that I exhorted you to espouse the cause of his 
beloved apostle, and your great protector, St. Peter. You 
espoused his cause accordingly, and your zeal for his 
honor was quickly rewarded by a signal and miraculous 
victory. But St. Peter, my most excellent son, has not 
yet reaped the least advantage from so glorious a victory, 
though owing entirely to him. The perfidious and 
wieked Astulphus (the king of the Lombards) has not 
yet yielded to him one foot of ground ; nay, unmindful 
of his oath, and actuated by the devil, he has begun 
hostilities anew ; and bidding defiance both to you and 
St. Peter, threatens us and the whole Roman empire 
with death and destruction." The pope, however, dare 
not trust too much to the influence of his own eloquence 
upon the mind of the French king. He pretended to 
have procured an epistle from St. Peter himself, which 
he sent to Pepin as a genuine production of his great 
predecessor in the see of Rome. The following is an 
extract from the said letter of St. Peter : — " Simon Peter, 
a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to the three most 
excellent kings, Pepin, Charles, and Carloman, (the two 
last were sons of Pepin,) to all the holy bishops, abbots, 
presbyters, and monks, to all the dukes, counts, com- 
manders of the French army, and to the whole people 
of France, grace unto you and peace be multiplied. 
I am the apostle Peter, to whom it was said, thou art Pe- 
ter, and upon this rock, &c. Feed my sheep, &c. And 
I will give unto thee the keys, &c. As this was all said 
to me in particular, all who hearken to me, and obey my 
exhortations, may persuade themselves and firmly believe 
that their sins are forgiven them. Hearken therefore to 
me, Peter the apostle and servant of Jesus Christ; and 
since I have preferred you to all the nations of the earth, 



34 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

hasten, I beseech and conjure you, if you care to be 
cleansed from your sins, and to earn an eternal reward, 
hasten to the relief of my city, of my church, of the 
people committed to my care, ready to fall into the hands 
of the wicked Lombards, their merciless enemies. It 
has pleased the Almighty that my body should rest in 
this city, the body that has suffered, for the sake of Christ, 
such exquisite torments ; and can you, my most Chris- 
tian sons, stand by unconcerned, and see it insulted by 
the most wicked of nations ? No, let it never be said, 
and it will I hope never be said, that I, the apostle of 
Jesus Christ, that my apostolic church, the foundation of 
the faith, that rny flock recommended to you by me and 
my vicar, have trusted in you, but trusted in vain. Our 
lady, the Virgin Mary, the mother of God, joins ear- 
nestly entreating, nay, and commands you to hasten, to 
run, to fly, to the relief of my favorite people, reduced 
almost to the last gasp, and calling, in that extremity, 
night and day upon her, and upon me. The thrones 
and dominions, the principalities and the powers, and the 
whole multitude of the heavenly host, entreat you, to- 
gether with us, not to delay, but to come with all possi- 
ble speed, and rescue my chosen flock from the jaws of 
the ravening wolves, ready to devour them. My vicar 
might in this extremity have recurred, and not in vain, 
to other nations ; but with me the French are, and ever 
have been, the first, the best, the most deserving of all 
nations ; and I would not suffer the reward, the exceed- 
ing great reward, that is reserved in this and the other 
world for those who shall deliver my people, to be earned 
by any other." — (Bower's Lives of the Popes.) 

It so happened, however, that Pepin had begun his 
march toward Italy, before this letter of St. Peter reached 
him, so that the apostle, in a great measure, lost his 
labor. The king of the Lombards was subdued, and his 
territory bestowed upon the see of Rome. This com- 
pleted the elevation of the Romish bishop, and changed 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 35 

hrs church into an apostate church. For Christ ex- 
pressly says, " My kingdom is not of this world." This 
event took place in the year 756. 



SECTION II. 

EVENTS PRECEDING, AND CONTRIBUTING TO, THE 
RISE OF POPERY. 

Although the origin of popery was in the early part 
of the seventh century, yet the spirit and leaven of it had 
been previously working in the visible church, and the 
way had gradually been preparing for this apostacy. 
Paul says of his own time, " the mystery of iniquity 
doth already work." An ambitious spirit was even then 
creeping into the church, which the apostle foresaw 
would lead to the grand apostacy. But in the ages im- 
mediately preceding the rise of popery, several remarka- 
ble events occurred which greatly accelerated its advance 
to unlimited power. A few of these it may be profitable 
to mention. 

1. The favor of secular power and influence under 
Constantine and his successors. 

Until the conversion of Constantine, the visible church 
had to contend with the Beast of the Pagan Roman em- 
pire. By the persecutions of this power, the spirit of 
ambition in the visible church was in a great measure 
repressed, and the mystery of iniquity, which secretly 
worked in the breasts of individuals, was hindered from 
development. And thus according to the prediction 
of Paul : " He that letteth, (or hindereth,) will let, (or 
hinder,) till he be taken out of the way." But at length 
the Pagan empire, called the beast, received a deadly 
wound in the conversion of the emperor Constantine, 



36 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

and the consequent subversion of paganism as the reli- 
gion of the empire. This event occurred in the begin- 
ning of the fourth century. Then it was that worldly- 
favor and wealth began to flow into the Christian church. 
Constantine built and endowed many churches in differ- 
ent parts of his dominions ; he received the bishops into 
his confidence, and lavished upon them his gifts. To 
Sylvester, bishop of Rome, the emperor paid particular 
respect, and is said to have presented him with a rich 
crown, which he left to his successors. From that day, 
as every one will readily see, the bishop of Rome must 
have appeared in a new light in the view of the sur- 
rounding world. A crown of gold now took the place 
of the crown of martyrdom. And no one can be at loss 
which would most influence the carnal mind. Religion 
itself now put on a new and attractive dress, and was 
decked with the signals of imperial and courtly favor. 
Thus ample scope was given to ambition within the sa- 
cred enclosures of the church, and temptations were pre- 
sented to unconverted men, those who were mere heathen 
in principle, to profess Christianity as a passport to places 
of power and honor. Especially were such men tempted 
to insinuate themselves into the ministry, that they might 
at least be candidates for the golden crown. The pos- 
session of a crown seems to have suggested to the bishops 
of Rome the idea of obtaining the power and authority 
of whieh the crown was an emblem. And certain it is 
that, from the days of Constantine, these bishops never 
lost sight of this object till it was fully attained. 

But Constantine went still farther towards the intro- 
duction of clerical and papal supremacy, by uniting the 
civil and ecclesiastical power, or what is sometimes 
called church and state, in his own person. He de- 
clared himself the head of the church, especially as to 
the external administration of its affairs. He was pre- 
sent at the Council of Nice, and confirmed all its acts 
and decrees, and sent them back, thus confirmed, to the 






HISTORY OF POPERY. 37 

bishop of Rome to be propagated. This course of the 
emperor, while it shows conclusively that the supremacy 
of the Roman bishop was not then admitted even at Rome, 
still suggests the possibility, and the temporal advan- 
tage, of uniting the secular and clerical powders in one 
person. And if the emperor might proclaim himself 
head of the church, much more might a bishop do it, if 
he could find a suitable occasion. And if the emperor 
might take the government of the church into his hands, 
why might not the bishop also grasp at secular power, 
and become a temporal prince, if he could ? But Con- 
stantine did still more ; he secularized the church, by 
fashioning its polity after the pattern of his empire. For 
the greater security of his government, he divided his 
empire into provinces, over which were placed princes 
that stood next in rank to himself. And he endeavored, 
we are told, to conform the government of the church, 
as much as possible, to that of the commonwealth. He 
divided the church into provinces, and thus had princes 
among the bishops. The bishops of Rome, Antioch, 
Alexandria, and Constantinople, after the imperial resi- 
dence was transferred to that city, were denominated 
Patriarchs. Next to these came the exarchs, who pre- 
sided over several provinces. And next were the metro- 
politans, who governed single provinces. After them 
were the archbishops, who had the oversight of particu- 
lar districts ; and last, the bishops, whose jurisdiction 
was more or less extensive according to circumstances. 
But first among the princes of the church was the bishop 
of Rome. And this pre-eminence was founded not only 
on popular feeling of long standing, but also on those 
grounds which commonly afford distinction. He lived in 
the imperial city, and from that single circumstance would 
be esteemed very naturally the primate of the church. 
He also exceeded all other bishops in his wealth and 
splendor, as being the companion and favorite of the em- 
peror. And so attractive were these embellishments of 

4 



38 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

the office, that, even in this age, obstinate and bloody con- 
tests took place at Rome when a new Pontiff was to be 
chosen. Such was the contest in the year 366, between 
Domasus and Ursicinus, when many lives were lost, and 
many buildings burnt. 

In the arrangements of Constantine we have the first 
example of a religious establishment, or an union of 
church and state. And it stands as a warning to all 
future generations. For, though well intended by the 
emperor, his system of church polity, and his favor inju- 
diciously bestowed, was a greater calamity to the church, 
a greater injury to true religion, than all the preceding 
persecutions of paganism. A very natural consequence 
of the exaltation and grandeur of the officers of the 
church, and especially the bishop of Rome, was to lead 
them to desire an extension of power. And from being 
placed next to the emperor, the bishop of Rome would 
very naturally aspire to his place, and even to be exalted 
above him. In the course of events during a few suc- 
ceeding centuries, the system thus put in motion resulted 
in popery. 

2. Another event which prepared the way for the rise 
of popery was the decline of science. 

Opulence in the church and among the clergy was 
followed by carnal indulgence, and that by sloth, and 
that by profound ignorance. The lamp of science began 
to grow dim just as soon as the treasures of the empire 
began to flow in upon the church. And as the cause 
and the effect continued to increase through successive 
generations, the lamp finally went out, and left the 
church in the gloom of the dark ages. Instead of men- 
tal cultivation, or useful knowledge, the minds of men 
were occupied and besotted with legendary tales of saints 
and their exploits, with traditionary records of visions 
and miracles, and with absurd dogmas of whining monks. 
In this way, while the pretensions and assumptions of 
the bishop of Rome were constantly increasing, the 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 39 

power of the human mind to withstand these encroach- 
ments, and to detect the various and gross impositions 
by which the Roman pontiff insinuated himself into su- 
preme power, was proportionably diminishing. It has 
indeed become a favorite maxim with papists, that igno- 
rance is the mother of devotion, of such devotion they 
mean, as makes and secures devotees to popery. And 
no wonder they teach this, when ignorance is one of the 
grand pillars on which their system rests. If men had 
not become extremely ignorant, the pope would never 
have been able to persuade them that he was the official 
successor of St. Peter, and the vicegerent of Christ ; that 
he held the keys of the kingdom of heaven, to open and 
shut it at his pleasure ; that he could forgive sins ; that 
he was infallible ; and that all the followers of Christ on 
earth are bound to bow down to him. A rational mind 
that can believe this of any man, must be extremely de- 
based. 

Popery, true to her own interests, has ever been the 
sworn enemy to learning and science, except so far as 
they might be made subservient to her own aggrandize- 
ment. True, she has colleges and schools in great num- 
bers, and generously offers to educate the children of 
protestants, if they may be sent to her cloisters. But 
what is her education, but an education in the princi- 
ples of popery ? And what of science or literature is found 
in her colleges, is so alloyed with her superstitions, as 
completely to neutralize its power. To know, think and 
judge for himself, is the last thing which popery will al- 
low to one of her votaries. For no other crime than dis- 
coveries in science, and the adoption of the copernican 
system, Galileo was condemned to the prisons of the In- 
quisition, and was in imminent peril of being burnt at 
the stake. As popery has ever found the atmosphere of 
ignorance so congenial, there can be no doubt that the 
decline of learning and science, in consequence of the ex- 
ternal prosperity of the church, had a material influence 



40 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

in preparing the way for its advance and final establish- 
ment. She who cannot live in the light, certainly could 
not have arisen, and taken her seat of supremacy unless 
favored by darkness. 

3. Another event which prepared the way for the rise 
of popery, was the neglect of the scriptures. 

It is evident at first sight that popery must have some 
other standard of faith and practice than the revealed 
word of God. For at this tribunal, it is impossible for 
the greatest human sagacity to avoid conviction and con- 
demnation in respect to the claims of popery. She has 
therefore contrived to erect another standard by the intro- 
duction of tradition, which is more flexible and accom- 
modating ; and which in fact may be made any thing or 
nothing, just as occasion requires. Without a standard 
of this kind, it is evident popery could never have gained 
a standing in the church. The scriptures therefore be- 
gan to go into disuse, as prosperity and power began to 
accumulate in the church. And though the bible did not 
become at once a prohibited book, and though in the form 
of a translation into the latin language, it was tolerated 
for a season, yet it was in fact practically set aside by the 
introduction of other standards of faith, and other tests of 
piety. Thus the neglect of the scriptures prepared the 
way for the development of anti-christ. And the increase 
of this power was in exact proportion to the neglect with 
which the bible was treated, until at length the scriptures 
were virtually suppressed by being locked up in a dead 
language which none of the common people understood, 
and by being discountenanced as a book to be read or exa- 
mined, if it was not positively forbidden. Thus the bible 
continued an exile from the church till the time of Peter 
Waldo, who gave a partial translation in the French lan- 
guage. After him Wickliffe, and then other reformers 
undertook the work of restoring the bible to the people of 
God, until at length Luther and his associates, brought 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 41 

forth this lamp and put in the hands of the pilgrims to 
Zion. 

Thus it is evident that the bible and popery have no 
common interest. For the rise of one has always been 
the fall of the other, 

4. Another event which prepared the way for the rise 
of popery was the introduction of images and the rites of 
idolatry into the Christian church. 

When the primitive Christians had to contend with pa- 
ganism, they were strenuous to maintain the distinction 
between their religionand that of their heathen neighbors. 
They would not consent to the proposition to place Jesus 
among the tutelar gods of the Roman empire, and to wor- 
ship him in common with the great family of the pan- 
theon. For this singularity and esteemed obstinacy, the 
christians were hated and persecuted ; and by this perse- 
cution they were purified and preserved from the leaven 
of ambition. But at length the tables were turned, Christi- 
anity was placed in the ascendant, and an order went 
forth from the emperor that all pagan temples should be 
demolished, and pagan rites be abandoned. This change 
led many pagans to seek admission to the Christian 
church. And so flattering was the fact to those who 
were then guardians to the interests of true religion, that 
they threw open the doors of the church, and admitted 
great numbers on their consenting to assume the name 
of Christian and be baptized. Thus it is related that Con- 
stantine, having vanquished various nations of Goths on 
the Danube, and the Sarmatians, engaged great numbers 
of them to become Christians. But a still larger part of 
them remained pagans until the time of Valens, who per- 
mitted them to pass the Danube, and inhabit the coun- 
tries on the other side, on condition they would become 
subject to the Roman laws, and would embrace Christi- 
anity. To this condition their king consented. And 
though real conversions may have taken place, yet in 
many instances, becoming Christians on the part of pa- 
4* 



42 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

gans seems to have been a point of mere national policy, 
By this means the spirit of paganism was gradually trans- 
ferred to the Christian church ; and of course the rites 
of paganism would be likely to follow. Besides, the 
forms of Christian worship were found much too simple 
and unostentatious to suit these numerous converts from 
the splendid rites of idolatry. Their taste was for some- 
thing more attractive to the senses, and the Christian 
bishops began to feel that they suffered some disadvantage 
from this quarter, and were desirous of conforming their 
ceremonies more to the taste of the age. Thus, in their 
judgment, not only the converts from heathenism would 
be better satisfied, but those who were not converted 
would be more likely to come over to the ranks of Chris- 
tianity, when they saw her temples eclipsing the temples 
of idols in external pomp. On this ground the simplicity 
of the Gospel, which had been greatly maintained under 
the pressure of persecution, began to be abandoned, 
and various superstitious rites, to be introduced. The 
virgin Mary was brought forward as an object of vene- 
ration, and finally of idolatrous worship. In her train, 
a list of saints, was made to take the place of ancient 
heroes and demi-gods, and in the result, images were in- 
troduced into the places of Christian worship, and the 
whole apparatus of heathenism was revived, under Chris- 
tian names and forms. To perceive the justness of these 
remarks, we have only to advert to a few historical facts. 
In the fourth century the virgin Mary was worshipped 
by a sect called Collyridians, from the cakes which they 
offered to this supposed goddess. They held that St. 
Mary ought to be honored and appeased with libations, 
sacrifices and offerings of cakes. It was their practice 
to dress out a car, or square throne, spread it over with a 
linen cloth, and on a clear day, once a year, to place on 
it during the day a loaf of bread or cake, which they of- 
fered to the virgin Mary. These persons were supposed 
converts from paganism, and while pagans, they had 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 43 

been accustomed to bake and present to the goddess 
Venus, or Astarte (the Moon,) certain cakes which were 
called Collyrides. And when they became nominal 
Christians, they supposed this honor might best be be- 
stowed on Mary. 

In the fifth century, that is the century immediately 
succeeding the conversion of Constantine, and the conse- 
quent change in the established religion of the empire, 
the rites and ceremonies of the church were so multiplied, 
that a learned historian remarks, " To recount all the re- 
gulations made in this century, respecting the mode of 
worship, and religious rites, and institutions, would re- 
quire a volume of considerable size. The magnificence 
of the temples knew no bounds. Splendid images were 
placed in them ; and among these, after the Nestorian 
contests, the image of the virgin Mary holding her infant 
in her arms, occupied the most conspicuous station. 
Altars and repositories for relics made of solid silver, if 
possible, were procured in various places, from which 
may easily be conjectured, what must have been the 
splendor and the expense of the other sacred utensils." 

In the first century also, commenced the practice of 
celebrating the Lord's supper at the sepulchres of the 
martyrs, and at funerals, when arose the practice of say- 
ing masses, or prayers for the saints, and for the dead. 

This practice it is well known, is derived from the 
heathen practice of sacrificing to the manes of the dead. 
The bread and wine were elevated before distribution, 
that they might be seen by the people, and be viewed with 
reverence and adoration. Hence arose the practice of 
elevating the host, and worshipping the symbols as a real 
divinity. 

The ancient Lupercalia of the heathen, or the day of 
Proserpine, when her mother Ceres was represented to 
have searched for her with lighted candles, was called the 
day of the purification of the blessed virgin Mary, and 
fixed on the 2nd of February. And, as it was still cele- 



44 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

brated by lighting candles, in imitation of the ancient lu- 
percalia, it is called in the Christian calendar, Candle- 
mass. 

Thus the business of introducing heathen rites and 
image worship in Christian temples, was a precursor of 
popery. This practice was indeed afterwards carried to 
much greater lengths, and will merit more particular at- 
tention when we come to speak of popish superstitions. 
But there can be no doubt that the influence of heathen- 
ism, introduced into the Christian church by a too hasty 
and indiscriminate admission of nominal converts, pre- 
pared the way for that corruption of Christianity, and 
that apostacy from its pure doctrines, and its spiritual 
worship, which have been the universal characteristics 
of the papal church. 



SECTION III. 

AN EXAMINATION OF THE POPISH ARGUMENT IN SUP- 
PORT OF THE SUPREMACY, &C. OF THE BISHOP OF 
ROME. 

As the papists make a show of argument in support of 
popery, and as this argument is not destitute of specious- 
ness and plausibility, it may be proper, before proceeding 
farther in historical statements, to give this argument a 
passing notice. The argument in question, if it be cor- 
rectly apprehended, is founded on the following claims, 
viz. The claim of succession to St. Peter. The claim 
from the necessity of the case. And the claim from mi- 
racles and supernatural testimony. 

1. It is claimed that the bishop of Rome is the official 
successor of the apostle Peter, and therefore the supreme 
head of the church on earth. 

The premises in this claim are two, viz. That Peter 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 45 

was constituted supreme head of the church. And that 
the pope is the official successor of Peter. Then follows 
the conclusion ; ergo, the pope is the supreme head of 
the church on earth. The first thing to he done in ana- 
lyzing this argument, is to direct our attention to the 
premises. How then does it appear that Peter was con- 
stituted supreme head of the church? 

Why, says the papist, it is very plain from the words 
of our Saviour, " Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I 
will build my church, and the gates of Hell shall not pre- 
vail against it." The absurdity of supposing that this 
declaration of Christ, was intended to constitute Peter 
the supreme head of the church, is manifest from a sin- 
gle consideration. After this declaration of Christ, Peter 
denied his master ; the gates of Hell did prevail against 
Peter ; and, if he were the supreme head or foundation of 
the church, then, if the foundation was prevailed against, 
what must have become of the church itself. If Peter 
was worsted and overcome by the tempter, as he surely 
was, where was the church that was built on this rock ! 
Surely if the foundation falls, that which is built upon it 
must fall with it. In a word, there is manifest absurdity 
in supposing that Christ meant to say, that his church 
was built on an erring imperfect man, as Peter proved 
himself to be. Another inconsistency of this supposition 
ought here to be noted, and that is its entire contradic- 
tion of the testimony of Paul. " Other foundation can no 
man lay than that is laid, that is Christ." Now if the 
church was really built on Peter, then, not only can a 
man lay other foundation, but he can himself be this 
foundation. But what is the import of the passage, 
" Thou art Peter, &c." To answer this inquiry correct- 
ly, we must take the passage in its connexion. Christ 
had been asking his disciples what the general opinion 
concerning him was. They told him according to what 
they had heard. But says he, " who say ye that I 
am? And Simon Peter answered and said, thou art 



46 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

the Christ the Son of the living God. And Jesus an- 
swered and said unto him, blessed art thou Simon Bar- 
jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, 
but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto 
thee, thou art Peter (Petros,) and upon this rock (Petra) I 
will build my church and the gates of Hell shall not pre- 
vail against it." In the first chapter of John we have a 
similar address to Simon in the following terms. " Thou 
art Simon the son of Jona, thou shalt be called Cephas, 
which is by interpretation a stone." Cephas was a Syriac 
word, which was rendered in Greek by the word Petros, 
i. e. a stone. But there is a difference between Petros a 
stone, and Petra, a rock. One can be turned over and 
moved from its place, while the other is immoveable. To 
say then to Peter, thou art a moveable stone, and upon 
this immoveable rock, meaning Peter, would be to speak 
nonsense. The fact is, that the foundation of which 
Christ spake, was something as different from Peter, as 
a rock is from a stone. It was the truth which Peter 
had just stated, viz. " Thou art Christ the son of the 
living God." The following translation has been sug- 
gested as more agreeable to the original. " I say also 
unto thee, thou art a stone, but upon this, (truth,) the 
rock, I will build my church, &c." But says the papist, 
the keys, the keys of the kingdom of heaven were given 
to Peter, as stated in the following verse. To this it 
may be replied, that though Peter was addressed because 
he had spoken, yet he had spoken in the name and be- 
half of the rest, and was therefore addressed in their 
name and in their behalf. In confirmation of this, see the 
address of Christ of similar import, on another occasion, 
to all the apostles without distinction. John xx, 21 — 23. 
4 ' Then said Jesus to them again, peace be unto you ; 
as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And 
when he had said this he breathed on them, and said unto 
them, receive you the Holy Ghost. Whosesoever sins 
ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whosesoever 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 47 

sins ye retain, they are retained." This is undeniably 
said to all the apostles ; but it could not be with proprie- 
ty, if Peter had already received this power, in distinc- 
tion from the rest, and as their superior. As to the 
power of the keys, it appears to have been the authority 
with which Christ invested his apostles to rule in the vi- 
sible church, and to administer its discipline. But it had 
no more application to Peter than to the rest. To cut 
the matter short, however, if Peter was constituted head 
of the church by Christ on the occasion specified, then 
he doubtless would have exercised his authority after- 
wards. But we never read or hear of Peter's popery on 
any occasion. Philip went down to Samaria and preach- 
ed Christ unto them. Now when the apostles which 
were at Jerusalem, not pope Peter, heard that Samaria 
had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter 
and John. Now if Peter were at this time pope, how 
came he to be sent by the other apostles. Why did he 
not thunder from the Vatican, and order out some of 
his nuntios or vicars on this errand ? Most egregious 
and blasphemous presumption was it, that the other apos- 
tles should presume to send his holiness pope Peter, on 
a mission to Samaria, just as if he was not their supreme 
head, or they did not know the fact. On another occa- 
sion, Peter seems to have fallen into dissimulation, and 
Paul withstood him to the face and rebuked him, be- 
cause he was to be blamed. Presumptuous man ! What, 
shall the infallibility of Peter be questioned, or an inferior 
attempt to rebuke the vicar of Christ, the supreme head of 
the church ! In a word, the claim to supreme authority 
in behalf of Peter, can by no means be sustained. The 
first premise therefore of popery utterly fails. How is 
it with the other, viz. ; the bishop of Rome is the offi- 
cial successor of Peter." On what ground is this claim- 
ed? Forsooth, because the bishop of Rome holds the see 
of Peter. But how is this ? Who knows that Peter ever 
was bishop of Rome ? There is not a word to this effect 



48 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

in the scriptures. And the traditions of persons living 
several hundred years after the time of Peter, can have 
no weight as testimony. If Roman bishops say, that 
Peter was bishop of Rome, we ask, how do they know ? 
If they have any evidence of the fact let them produce it, 
but if they say it without evidence, they must not expect 
us to give implicit credit to mere assertion. Peter never 
was bishop of Rome. How then is the bishop of Rome 
his successor ? If Peter were supreme among the apos- 
tles, and in the church, by what circuitous channel does 
that supremacy arrive at the pope's door ? No, it is all 
imposition, and arrogance. Peter had no supremacy, 
the bishop of Rome is not in any sense his successor. 
Ergo, the bishop of Rome has no supremacy except that 
of arrogance and falsehood. 

2. Supremacy is claimed by the pope on account of 
the necessity of the case. It is said that there must 
of necessity be some supreme head, some infallible arbi- 
ter, some living standard, and oracle of faith and prac- 
tice. Otherwise every man's opinion will be his own 
rule, and the church will be rent into endless divisions. 
This we see is placing the system of popery on the 
ground of expediency, and if it were productive of union 
in faith, still there are some considerations to put in the 
opposite scale, such as despotic power, tyrannical oppres- 
sion, venality and deadly corruption. And the question 
would return, is union in such a work, a blessing or a 
curse ? But as to the simple question of union : Where 
have greater divisions, more bitter contention and ani- 
mosity been witnessed in the world, than in the bosom 
of the papal church, and sometimes, between rival popes 
themselves ? Talk they of union, let the endless broils 
of the Dominicans and the Franciscans, of the Jesuits 
and the Jansenists be the reply. If farther reply is re- 
quired, we will show them contending popes, hurling 
thunders, and bulls, and curses at each other's heads ; 
infallibility marshalled against infallibility ; a rare com- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 49 

bat. We will show them two ox three heads of the 
church in existence and function at a time, and these 
heads, instead of affording wisdom and guidance to the 
body, are biting and devouring each other. Truly, pa- 
pists should talk little about the efficacy of popery in pro- 
moting union. But, says the papist, the scriptures can- 
not be a standard of faith and practice, because difference 
of opinion among men will produce endless variations in 
the standard. How so ? The variations are in opinion, 
not in the standard. And different applications of a 
standard, do not imply a change or variation of the 
standard itself. In forming his opinions from the scrip- 
tures, every man acts on his own responsibility. If he 
misapply the standard so as to deceive himself, his own 
will the loss be. The standard is nevertheless true. 
Thus a person may have a correct standard of weight or 
measure, and he may so err in the application as to pro- 
duce a wrong result, or two persons may so err in ap- 
plying the same standard as to be wide apart in the con- 
clusion. Does this vitiate the standard, or warrant us to 
say there cannot be such a thing as a correct rule? 
Rather should we say to every one applying the stand- 
ard, take heed, be not deceived, let every man prove his 
own work. 

But, 3. Another claim of popery is founded on suppos- 
ed miracles and supernatural testimony. This claim will 
be speedily disposed of, by an unqualified denial of the 
facts alleged. There have been many tales of miracles 
wrought by the potency of relics, or at the tombs of de- 
parted saints or martyrs. But there is not one of all 
these wonders that possesses any authenticity. We re- 
member the tale of the tragedy of Berne, in which St. 
Barbara, and St. Mary were supposed to appear to poor 
Jetzer, and relate to him the transactions of the invisible 
world, and confirm to him certain opinions of a particu- 
lar order of monks. But these sainted spirits were dis- 
covered to have flesh and bones, and to be none else 

5 



50 HISTORY OF POPERY, 

than the prior and sub-prior of the monastery. And the 
only reality in the case was a painful one, for Jetzer had 
a nail driven quite through his hand, while receiving 
from the supposed saints the marks of Christ. That the 
popish church has exhibited many wonders to support 
her claims, will not be denied ; but we shall have occa- 
sion to see, in the sequel, that they are lying wonders, 
and cunning craftiness, whereby her votaries have lain 
in wait to deceive. So much, then, for th^ claims of 
popery to divine origin, and divine authority. 



SECTION IV. 

EXAMINATION OF HISTORICAL TESTIMONY RELATIVE 
TO THE SUPREMACY OF THE BISHOP OF ROME DU- 
RING THE FIRST SIX CENTURIES. 

The origin of the church of Rome is involved in doubt. 
We have no authentic record to determine by whom it 
was gathered, or who was its first pastor. Scripture is 
silent on this point, which silence is indeed conclusive 
proof that this church was not destined by the Saviour to 
any pre-eminence in his visible kingdom, much less that 
it was destined to that absolute supremacy which it has 
since assumed. But whatever obscurity may rest upon 
the origin of this church, two points are very clear, viz. 
1. We have no satisfactory evidence that Peter gathered 
the church of Rome ; and, 2. There is no evidence that 
he ever was the bishop of this church. It may be admit- 
ted, for argument's sake, that Peter spent some time at 
Rome, and that he suffered martyrdom there in the reign 
of Nero. But these concessions prove nothing as to any 
particular connexion of Peter wiffr the church of Rome, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 51 

either as its founder or its bishop. For Paul was also at 
Rome for a considerable season : he wrote an epistle to 
that church, and afterwards suffered martyrdom there 
under the same bloody Nero. If Peter then was bishop 
of Rome on the ground of the facts above mentioned, 
much more was Paul its bishop. But this would prove 
too much, as it would prove that the church of Rome had 
two supreme heads. In the absence, then, of all authentic 
proof, we are authorized to deny that the church of Rome 
was gathered by Peter, or that he was its bishop. And 
the burden of proof will rest on those who set up arro- 
gant claims, as the successors of Peter, and whose pre- 
rogatives rest solely on the proof they bring. Let them 
prove, if they can, that the bishops or popes of Rome are 
the successors of Peter, and then it will be in season to 
talk about the power of the keys, and of absolution, if 
indeed Peter had any such power. But in the present 
state of the subject, the claims of popery, as founded on 
the prerogatives of Peter, are mere assumption. The 
bishops of Rome might with equal propriety claim, in the 
right of succession to Peter, supreme authority over the 
solar system. 

In regard to the church of Rome and Peter, its sup- 
posed first bishop, very little is known during the first 
century, beyond what is found on sacred record. About 
the year 64, Rome suffered a general conflagration, which 
is supposed to have been the work of Nero, but which, to 
screen himself from public odium, he charged to Chris- 
tians. On the ground of this charge the first general 
persecution commenced. Peter is supposed, by impar- 
tial writers, to have come to Rome the year previous. 
While there, he is supposed to have written his epistles ; 
and when the persecution under Nero commenced, Peter 
is supposed to have been apprehended and crucified. 
Not a word do we find in any authentic history of this 
century, about the supremacy either of Peter or the church 
of Rome. But if that supremacy ever existed by divine 



52 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

appointment, it must have existed then. Peter could not 
have been constituted the bishop of Rome, nor supreme 
head of the church, after he was dead. And if his su- 
premacy did exist during his life, is it not unaccountable 
that all history should be utterly silent on the subject, 
that the church in the first century should have left no 
trace of pope Peter's reign ; and that even Peter himself 
should have been so sparing of the pompous assumptions 
and dignity of his pretended successors ? If Peter was, 
at the time he wrote his epistles, vicegerent of Christ and 
supreme head of the church, (and he must have been 
then if he ever was, for his epistles were written but a 
short time before his death,) is it not remarkable that we 
hear him saying simply " Simon Peter, a servant and an 
apostle of Jesus Christ," instead of " We, sovereign pon- 
tiff of Rome, apostolical vicar and supreme head of the 
church?" It is indeed manifest, either that Peter was 
not conscious of his papal dignity, or he did not value it 
very highly, otherwise he would not have passed it in 
silence. For no pope of Rome ever followed his exam- 
ple in this particular. For though, by an affected mo- 
desty, some of the popes may have styled themselves ser- 
vants, &c, yet they have always been careful to insert 
something in the connexion, to show that they did not 
mean what the words would naturally import. 

But the forms of church government during the first 
century do not admit of any such supremacy as that as- 
cribed to the church of Rome, or to Peter as its head. 
In those primitive days, each Christian church was com- 
posed of the people, the presiding officer, and the assist- 
ants or deacons. The highest authority then was in the 
body of believers, for even the apostles themselves in- 
culcated by their example that nothing of moment was 
to be done or determined on without the concurrence of 
the brethren. The rulers of the church were sometimes 
denominated elders or presbyters, a designation borrowed 
from the Jews, and indicative rather of the wisdom than 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 53 

the age of the persons ; and sometimes bishops or over- 
seers, for it is most manifest that both terms are promis- 
cuously used in the New Testament for one and the 
same class of persons. Near the close of the first cen- 
tury, however, there began to be indications of some de- 
grees of comparison among the pastors of the churches. 
The. germ of ecclesiastical distinction and hierarchy was 
at first exceeding small, and is thus described by a certain 
author : — " In the following manner Christians managed 
ecclesiastical affairs, so long as their congregations were 
small and not very numerous. Three or four presby- 
ters, men of gravity and holiness, placed over these little 
societies, could easily proceed with harmony, and needed 
no head or president. But when the churches became 
larger, and the number of presbyters and deacons, as 
well as the amount of duties to be performed, was in- 
creased, it became necessary that each council of pres- 
byters should have a president, a man of distinguished 
gravity and prudence, who should distribute among his 
several colleagues their several tasks, and be a kind of 
central point. He was first denominated the angel, but 
afterwards the bishop, (or overseer,) a term of Grecian 
derivation, and indicative of his principal business. But 
whoever supposes the bishops of the first and golden 
age of the church were like the bishops of the following 
centuries, must blend and confound characters that are 
very different." 

Where, it may be asked, in all this arrangement of 
the first century, was there room or place for his holiness 
the pope of Rome? If such an office, or such a title, 
existed in the first age of the church, how marvellous is 
it that we can find no trace of the matter, and that the 
holy apostolical vicar of Christ, who afterwards filled 
Europe and the world with his noise, should have then 
kept so entirely out of sight ! But if no such office then 
existed, the lofty pretensions of the papists fall to the 
ground. 

5* 



54 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

In the second century, the gradual advances of pre- 
latical power and authority, which began to be developed 
towards the close of the first, were considerably increased 
and confirmed. As the churches multiplied and ex- 
tended, it became necessary for them to meet together by 
their representatives for mutual consultation and united 
action. This gave rise to what the Greeks called Sy- 
nods, but the Latins, Councils. In these councils, of 
which no vestige appears before the middle of the second 
century, it became necessary for some one to preside, and 
it naturally fell to the lot of some to take the lead in the 
transaction of business. This, of course, gave some of 
the bishops a practical pre-eminence ; and when once 
they had been elevated, it was natural for them to claim, 
and to endeavor to support that elevation. In this way 
arose, in process of time, metropolitan bishops, archbi- 
shops, patriarchs, and last of all the head of the whole, 
the pope of Rome. Another circumstance that served to 
advance the power of the hierarchy in the second cen- 
tury was, that after the destruction of Jerusalem, and the 
Jewish system was totally abolished, the idea was started 
that the Christian ministry was designed to be modelled 
after the fashion of the Jewish priesthood. To make the 
resemblance complete, there must be a high priest, secon- 
dary priests, and Levites. The idea could not, at the 
time it was started, be carried to its full extent, but it 
served to prepare the way for the full attainment of the 
object by the gradual approximation of public opinion. 

In the third century the form of church government, 
which had been gradually introduced, was still more 
confirmed. We find, in this century, bishops in the prin- 
cipal cities in the provinces, which were esteemed chief 
of their province. The limits of this distinction were 
not, however, accurately defined, nor was the precedence 
always given to the bishop of the chief city. But the 
bishops of Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria, appear to 
have been regarded in this century as chief men, and 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 55 

were consulted on important matters. The bishop of 
Rome in particular, undoubtedly because he resided in 
the metropolis of the empire, seems, in the course of this 
century, to have taken the lead of all others, and to have 
had conceded to him a kind of primacy. This is ad- 
mitted by Cyprian and other bishops of his time. But 
while they admitted a kind of primacy, chiefly as a 
matter of courtesy, they strenuously contended for the 
equality of all bishops in respect to dignity and authority. 
They did not hesitate to discard the judgment of the 
bishop of Rome whenever it appeared to them incorrect, 
and took the liberty to follow their own judgment. Of 
this truth Cyprian himself gave a striking example in 
his famous controversy with Stephen, bishop of Rome, 
concerning the baptism of heretics. On the whole, re- 
specting the third century, we may say that though there 
was a considerable declination from the republican, and 
approach towards the monarchical form of church govern- 
ment, yet there was no appearance or pretence of any 
supreme head of the church. Plainly the pope of Rome, 
as understood by the assumptions of succeeding ages, 
had no existence in the third century. 

In the commencement of the fourth century, as has 
been already stated, the external circumstances of the 
church were materially changed by the conversion of 
Constantine. And it is perfectly evident, that if the su- 
premacy of the bishops of Rome, as successors of Peter, 
were then known and acknowledged in the church, it 
would have been respected by this Christian emperor. 
But far otherwise is the fact. For though Constantine 
did much to favor religion externally, and lavished many 
gifts on the officers of the church, yet he evidently had 
no idea of any such thing as papal supremacy. He 
even proclaimed himself the supreme head of the church, 
which he certainly would not have done, if there had been 
at that time any other known head. It is also added by 
the voice of history, that no bishop called in question the 



56 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

right or propriety of what the emperor did. But the 
bishop of Rome certainly would have called it in ques- 
tion, if it had at all been questionable. At this period, 
therefore, we have ample evidence that popery had no 
existence or name in the government of the church. On 
the contrary, there is abundant testimony of history, that, 
though the Roman bishop was excessively aspiring, and 
was reaching after lordly power by all practical means, 
yet supremacy was not then even claimed by him, much 
less allowed by other bishops. 

In the fourth century an event occurred which stands 
directly in the way of the pretensions of the Roman pon- 
tiff to supreme authority ; and that was, the transfer of 
the seat of the empire from Rome to Byzantium, which 
was thence called Constantinople. This new imperial 
city soon became the rival of Rome, not only in civil 
affairs, but as the seat of ecclesiastical power. The 
bishop of so great a city soon began to conceive ideas 
of his own supremacy ; and the very circumstances 
which had given the bishop of Rome his importance, 
now began to raise up a competitor, who desired, at 
least, to be esteemed equal to the bishop of Rome. The 
emperors did not disapprove of this ambition, because 
they perceived that it was nearly connected with their 
own dignity. Therefore, in the council of Constantino- 
ple, which was held in 381, by order of the emperor 
Theodosius the Great, the bishop of Rome being opposed 
to the measure, the bishop of Constantinople was by the 
third canon placed in the first rank after the bishop of 
Rome. But this was not long satisfactory ; for soon the 
rival bishop began to dispute with the Roman pontiff 
himself the right of precedence, and in process of time 
proclaimed himself universal bishop. The alarm of the 
bishop of Rome at this step, and the signs of anti-christ 
which he discovered in it, have been already stated. But 
it is perfectly evident from all this, that the bishop of 
Rome could not at that time have been known and ac- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 57 

knowledged as the supreme head of the church. Peter 
could not at the same time have two legitimate successors 
in his office. One or the other must have been in error, 
as they both claim what, from the nature of the case, can 
belong only to one, and what we have abundant evidence 
belonged to neither. Their claims are both equally well 
founded, or rather are both equally destitute of founda- 
tion. The only rational conclusion then is, they are 
both false. This conclusion is confirmed by the pro- 
ceedings of the council of Calcedon, which assembled 
about the middle of the fifth century. By the 28th canon 
of this council, it was decreed that the bishop of new 
Rome, or Constantinople, ought to enjoy the same honors 
and prerogatives with the bishop of old Rome, on ac- 
count of the equal dignity of the two cities ; and by a 
formal decree, the councils confirmed the exclusive juris- 
diction of the bishop of Constantinople over the provinces 
which he claimed. Leo the Great, bishop of Rome at 
that time, strenuously resisted this decree, but his oppo- 
sition was overruled, because the power of the Greek 
emperors supported the bishops. And from the time of 
the council of Calcedon in the fifth century, the bishops 
of Constantinople contended fiercely with the bishops of 
Rome for the supremacy. 

From these historical facts the following conclusions 
are demonstrated, viz. : 1. A general council of the 
Christian church assembled at Calcedon in the fifth cen- 
tury, knew nothing of papal supremacy, for they passed 
a decree absolutely incompatible with it. 2. A general 
council of the church thus sanctioned the principle that 
clerical precedence in the church is not derived from 
divine appointment, or succession to the apostles, but 
from the dignity of the cities which were the seat of 
clerical influence and power. Thus, on the ground that 
Constantinople was equal in dignity to Rome, the coun- 
cil decreed that the bishop of the former ought to enjoy 
the same honors and prerogatives with the bishop of the 



58 HISTORY OF POPERY. * 

latter. This decision cuts up papal pretensions, root and 
branch. For if supremacy derived from Peter had been 
then known, such a decree would not have been passed. 
The supremacy of the pope then, as has been suggested, 
was founded on the supremacy of the city where he 
dwelt. 

The rival pretensions which have been stated, gave 
rise to dreadful wars and abominable crimes. The 
bishop of Constantinople, elated with his success, and 
the favor of the imperial court under which he was pro- 
tected, did not hesitate to attack the Roman prelate, and 
wrest from him some of his provinces. The Roman 
pontiff, in his turn, inflicted grievous wounds on the 
eastern bishop. And these quarrels about precedence 
between those who claimed to be fathers and pastors of 
the church, show beyond all question that both parties 
-were merely wolves in sheep's clothing, for they wasted 
and devoured the church for their own aggrandizement." 

The Roman bishop w r as, on the whole, most successful 
in his enterprizes of ambition. Notwithstanding the op- 
position of his rival, various causes enabled him to aug- 
ment in no small degree his power. The patriarchs of 
Antioch and Alexandria, finding themselves incompe- 
tent to contend with the patriarch of Constantinople, ap- 
plied to the Roman patriarch for aid. And the same 
measure was adopted by the inferior bishops, whenever 
they found their superiors encroaching on their rights. 
Rome thus became the common centre of attraction. By 
this means the Roman bishop, at the same time that he 
extended his protection, also extended and increased his 
influence. He thus acquired a practical supremacy, even 
before he dared openly to advance his claim to it, or be- 
fore he could find a place for it in theory. In addition 
to this state of things in the bosom of the church, the 
state of the empire, in its civil aspects, was such as to 
give great facility for the accomplishment of the ambiti- 
ous designs of the bishop of Rome. The emperors of 



HISTORY or POPERY. 59 

the western empire had become weak, indolent, and ef- 
feminate ; they held the reins of government with a feeble 
arm, so that a field was open for the successful prosecu- 
tion of the projects of ambition. The nations of barba- 
rians also, about Rome, had begun to break in upon the 
empire, and were subverting its deep foundations. To 
the prejudices and superstitions of these barbarians, the 
bishop of Rome found it no difficult matter to accommo- 
date himself. And he could adopt their heathen rites, 
provided they would adopt the Christian name, and be sub- 
servient to his purposes. The barbarous kings were in- 
tent on nothing but the establishment of their own power. 
When, therefore, they witnessed the influence of the 
bishop of Rome over the minds of the people, they deemed 
it good policy to secure his favor by granting him privi- 
leges and honors. In this way considerable accession 
was made during the fifth century to the see of Rome. 

Bat after all these attempts at supreme power, and 
these gradual advances towards it, yet so late as the end 
of the fifth century, the bishop of Rome had not been 
able to obtain the acknowledgment of the church in 
favor of his pretensions, nor was he able to assume the 
title of universal bishop. In particular the churches of 
Africa could not be induced, either by promises or 
threats, to carry their causes and controversies by appeal 
to the tribunal of Rome. 

In the sixth century there was no important change in 
the constitution of the Christian church, and no additional 
proof of papal supremacy. So late in the century as the 
year 587, John, bishop of Constantinople, attempted to 
have himself proclaimed universal bishop. On which 
occasion Gregory made the efforts and reflections which 
have been already stated. So late then as this period, 
the bishop of Rome did not even publicly claim that su- 
premacy which, in a rival bishop, he declared to be a 
sign of anti-christ. Indeed the whole testimony of au- 
thentic history is, that six centuries of the Christian era 



80 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

passed away without any open claim or acknowledg- 
ment of supremacy, as belonging to the bishop of Rome. 
Surely this must be a wide and fatal chasm to those, who 
make their whole cause depend on maintaining an unin- 
terrupted succession to Peter, as supreme head of the 
church. Six hundred years the Christian church existed 
without a pope, in the proper sense of the term, and the 
papists may be asked, where was the true church in 
their view, before Boniface was declared universal 
bishop ? 



SECTION V. 

THE PROGRESS OF POPERY DURING THE TWELVE 
CENTURIES SUCCEEDING ITS RISE. 

Having ascertained, by the testimony of authentic 
history, that no trace of popery existed during the six 
first centuries of the Christian era, and having seen that 
it originated early in the seventh century, by the united 
influence of the tyrant Phocas, and Boniface III., bishop 
of Rome, in proclaiming the latter universal bishop ; we 
now proceed to trace the progress of this grand apostacy 
from the Christian church, through the course of suc- 
ceeding ages. In this survey it will be necessary to 
study brevity, as far as can be consistent with perspicuity 
of statement, as there are several other important topics 
relative to popery, which claim attention before reaching 
our prescribed limits. 

The beginning of the seventh century was marked 
by three important events in the history of the church 
and of the world. The proclaiming of the bishop of 
Rome universal bishop, the establishment of image wor- 
ship in the Christian church, and the rise of the Maho- 
metan delusion. 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 61 

In regard to the newly created and proclaimed pope, 
scarcely a year elapsed from the commencement of this 
sacerdotal empire, when the very idolatry which had 
been so strenuously opposed by preceding bishops, was 
publicly established and patronized by the sovereign 
pontiff. The ancient Pantheon, formerly the general 
sink of all the abominations of paganism, was now re- 
stored, though under a different name, to its original des- 
tination. The mediatory demons of corrupted Christian- 
ity, occupied the vacant places of the mediatory demons 
of the gentiles. Instead of Jupiter and his kindred dei- 
ties, the virgin mother of Christ, and all his martyred 
saints, received the blind adoration of the revived ten- 
horned beast. The holy city was trodden under foot of 
a new race of gentiles, differing from their pagan prede- 
cessors in name rather than in nature, and the witnesses 
began to prophecy in sackcloth, during the long period 
of 1260 years, the same period indeed as that, during 
which the saints were given into the hand of the little 
horn. (See Rev. xi. 2, 3.) From this period forward, 
therefore, the papal church must be considered as apos- 
tate from true Christianity, because it renounced the ess en- 
tial features of the Christian church, and became the real 
and implacable enemy of all the true followers of Christ. 
This is not empty declamation, or unfounded assertion. 
Let the history of subsequent ages, for more than twelve 
hundred years, bear witness. Let every reader examine 
the subject carefully and candidly, and if he does not find 
evidence sufficient to satisfy his mind that the papal 
church is now, and has been for twelve centuries, a mere 
modified and concealed form of paganism, and an apos- 
tate body from the whole Christian faith, then evidence 
has no weight, and the powers of perceiving truth wholly 
fail and deceive. By this, however, is not meant that 
the papal church does not in theory admit some specula- 
tive truths. Pagans do this, and even devils believe in 
one God. But the meaning is, that the popish system, 

6 



62 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

taken as a whole, is radically corrupt and anti-chris- 
tian ; that nothing is wanting but the universal preva- 
lence of this system, to ensure the utter extinction of all 
true religion, and therefore, that whatever of truth is em- 
braced in this system is held in unrighteousness, and 
practically perverted. This will appear to be the true 
state of the case from all authentic and impartial history. 

With this general view, the chain of historical narra- 
tive will be pursued, until we have a comprehensive view 
of the progress of this apostate church. Then its influ- 
ence and fruits will come under examination. 

The elevation of the bishop of Rome to the station of 
pope, or universal bishop, was followed by a great in- 
crease of power and corruption, so far as his influence 
extended ; while vital religion, and all useful knowledge 
declined in the same proportion. Every writer of note, 
respecting the seventh century, admits that the clergy of 
inferior rank, and all who were entrusted with the sacred 
offices, as well those in the monasteries, as those without, 
lived in the practice of many enormities. In all places, 
simony, avarice, pious frauds, intolerable pride, inso- 
lence to the people at large, and even vices worse than 
these, might be seen reigning in the stations consecrated 
to piety and virtue. Between the monks and the bishops, 
many bitter quarrels arose in different places. For the 
latter laid their greedy hands on the rich possessions of the 
monks, that they might support their own luxury and 
dissipation. And the monks, feeling this very sensibly, 
first applied to the emperors and kings for redress, but 
not finding sufficient protection, they next resorted to the 
pope of Rome. He took them under his protection, and 
gradually exempted them from the jurisdiction of the 
bishops. The monks in return defended the interests of 
the pope as their own. They recommended him as a 
kind of god to the ignorant multitude, over whom their 
hypocritical sanctity gave them great influence. That 
these exemptions of the monks, were the cause of many 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 63 

of their vices and disorders, is the opinion of many of 
the best writers. In the meantime the monks, from the 
favor of the popes, and the display of fictitious piety, 
were every where making great progress in numbers and 
wealth ; especially among the Latins. Parents eagerly 
consecrated their children to God, with good portions of 
their property made over to the monasteries ; that is to 
say, they devoted them to what was considered the high- 
est bliss on earth, a life of solitude. Those who had 
spent their lives in guilty deeds, hoped to expiate their 
crimes by conferring the greater part of their property 
on some company of monks. And immense numbers, 
impelled by superstition, robbed their heirs of their rich- 
est possessions, to render God propitious to them through 
the prayers of the monks. Such was popery in the 
seventh century. 

The history of the eighth century opens with the fol- 
lowing humiliating testimony, respecting the votaries of 
papal superstition. Those who .had the care of the 
church, both in the east and the west, were utterly cor- 
rupt in their morals. The eastern bishops wasted their 
lives in various controversies and quarrels; and* disre- 
garding the cause of piety, they disquieted the state with 
their senseless clamors and seditions. Nor did they he- 
sitate to imbrue their hands in the blood of their dissent- 
ing brethren. Those in the west, immediately under 
the jurisdiction of the pope, who pretended to be lumina- 
ries, gave themselves up to various kinds of profligacy, 
to gluttony, to lust, to sensuality and to war. Nor 
could they be reclaimed, though the civil rulers, such 
as Pepin, Carloman, and especially Charlemagne, enact- 
ed various laws against their vices. 

The ninth century exhibits popery as in the ascendant, 
and that with increasing strength ; and at the same time 
i-t shows a thicker and darker gloom resting on the 
morals and manners of the clergy, the church and the 
world. It is indeed a remarkable fact, that the greatest 



64 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

increase and glory of papal power was witnessed in 
that age, when the lights of science and religion were 
most obscured ; showing that ignorance and superstition 
are the congenial atmosphere of the papal dominion. In- 
deed, the supremacy of the pope has always nourished 
in exact proportion to the moral and intellectual degra- 
dation of man, and has always been an efficient agent in 
producing that degradation. The abettors of popery 
may be challenged to produce a solitary example of a 
country, brought under the full influence of popery, in 
which the principles of civil liberty, the blessings of so- 
cial life, as well as the light of science and religion, 
have not been well nigh extinguished. In the regular 
course of historical events, we are now approaching a 
period which has been distinguished in the history of 
the world, as the dark age. And it will be proper to 
bear in mind the influence which popery exerted to pro- 
duce this dark age; and thence to gather the evidence, 
that the prevalence of popery in any age or country, will 
certainly produce the same darkness. • 

The voice of history thus testifies concerning the state 
of teachers and the church, in the ninth century. The 
ungodly lives of most of those entrusted with the spiri- 
tual interests of men, and the government of the church, 
in this century, are a subject of complaint with all the 
ingenuous and honest writers of this age. The bishops 
attached to the papal dominion are described as hanging 
around the courts of princes, and indulging themselves 
in every species of voluptuousness. The inferior clergy 
of course were extremely sensual, and corrupted the very 
people whom they were set to reform. The ignorance of 
the clergy in many instances was so great, that they 
could neither read nor write. Hence, whenever a letter 
was to be penned, or any thing of importance was to be 
committed to writing, recourse was had to some one in- 
dividual, who was supposed to excel common men, by 
possessing some dexterity in such matters. At the 



HISTORY OF TPOPERY. 65 

council of Pavia, held in the year 850, it was ordained 
that all provocations to debauchery, should be removed 
from the conviviality of the bishops, and that no ludicrous 
shows, no vain garrulity, no buffoonery of wits, no scur- 
rilous tricks should there find a place. At the council of 
Aix-la-Chapelle, in 836, bishops were forbidden to get 
drunk. We cannot suppose that these canons would 
have been passed and published to the world, without 
some occasion for them, and some very urgent occasion 
too. But that nothing may be left to conjecture, in re- 
spect to the occasion of the above mentioned canons ; the 
council of Aix-la-Chapelle, according to Harduin, state 
the fact explicitly, that some of their order neglected 
their charge, and travelled here and there, not from ne- 
cessity, but to gratify their love of avarice and pleasure. 
Of the presbyters and inferior clergy they complain, that 
they kept women in their houses, to the great scandal o£ 
the ministry ; and this, notwithstanding the former at- 
tempts of councils and princes to remove the evil. They 
say of the nunneries, that in many places they seemed to 
be rather brothels than monasteries. It is here to be 
kept in mind, that popery forbade marriage to her clergy. 
For lawful wedlock, they would be deposed and excom- 
municated at onCe ; but lewdness and debauchery, even 
in her sacred precincts, and among those professedly de- 
voted to piety, were a trifle in her view, unworthy of 
notice ; and not only so, but as will hereafter appear, 
even encouraged and sanctioned ; and the price of which 
often went into the sacred coffers. Another cause which 
led to the general corruption of the papal clergy, was the 
ease and indifference with which men were introduced 
to the ministry, and the consequent venality of the whole 
order, from the highest to the lowest. The patrons of the 
churches, not wishing to have their vices reproved and 
exposed, gave the preference to weak and inefficient men. 
Thus, having itching ears they heaped to themselves 
teachers. And it is here worthy of very serious re^ 
6* 



66 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

mark, that whenever people are so far traitors to their 
own interests, as to encourage and support false teachers, 
who will natter their pride and conceal their sin, they 
will always find men enough, who, for money, will be 
ready to perform the ruinous task. It was so in ancient 
times, when, as God says by his prophet concerning the' 
false prophets, who spake lies in his name ; " And my 
people love to have it so." People must generally blame 
themselves for the ingress of false teachers. Such 
teachers would not intrude into the vineyard, if they did 
not meet with favor, and did not find many to welcome 
them, and extend to them a fostering hand. False 
teachers come not to labor, but to gain favor or emolu- 
ment, and they will soon perceive where such fruit can 
be gathered. A corrupt community will therefore heap 
to themselves false teachers, and false teachers will ren- 
der the community more and more corrupt. Thus the 
natural course is from bad to worse, deceiving and being 
deceived, corrupting by reciprocal influence, until all 
sink together to perdition. 

In the midst of all this corruption, however, popery 
flourished and became more firmly seated. Just as nox- 
ious weeds and poisonous reptiles, always multiply and 
flourish in the impurities of the atmosphere. It is 
obvious to all who read the history of the ninth century, 
that popery greatly advanced in power, influence and 
wealth, from the age of Lewis the meek, and especially 
after the commencement of the reign of Charles the bald. 
Upon the death of Lewis II., a violent Avar broke out 
among the descendants of Charlemagne, each of them 
contending for the imperial dignity. Pope John VIII., 
and with him the Italian princes, eagerly seized the op- 
portunity to exclude the voice of all foreigners, and make 
the election of emperors depend wholly on themselves. 
Hence, Charles the bald, king of the Francs, by a vast 
amount of money, and other presents, and by still greater 
promises, obtained from the pope and other Italian 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 67 

princes, to be proclaimed emperor of the Romans. His 
successors in the kingdom of Italy, and in the imperial 
dignity — Carloman, and Charles the fat, were likewise 
chosen by the pope and his princes. After them troublous 
times came on, in which those who promised most, 
and gave most, generally ascended the royal and impe- 
rial throne by the aid of the popes. This is certainly a 
singular spectacle. A vicar of Christ, a successor of 
Peter, or one claiming to be such, is here found driving 
the trade of selling thrones and kingdoms to the highest 
bidder. In other words, the supreme head of the church 
has turned grand auctioneer in the sale of kingdoms. 
The Saviour would not meddle at all even with the 
smallest worldly concerns, because his kingdom was not 
of this world. His reply to applicants for worldly favor 
was, " who made me a judge or a divider over you." 
Peter could say, even to one asking alms, " silver and 
gold have I none." And it was not because he could not 
have obtained it if he would, by selling the gifts in his 
possession : for to an applicant of this sort he said, 
" thy money perish with thee." But look at the popes 
for successive ages, and see them keeping offices of 
simony and venality, hoarding up treasures, and dealing 
in kingdoms ; and mark the difference, the absolute con- 
trariety of these characters, and the undeniable apostacy 
of the latter. 

But the power of the popes in religious matters was 
augmented with a rapidity equal to that of their pro'sperity 
in temporal things, and nearly from the same causes. 
The wisest and most impartial even among papal writers 
admit, that from the time of Lewis the meek, the ancient 
system of ecclesiastical law in Europe was gradually 
changed, and a new system introduced by the policy of 
the papal court. The kings and emperors suffered their 
rights in matters of religion, which had been handed 
down to them from Charlemagne, to be insensibly 
wrested from them. The popes, exulting in their pros- 



68 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

perity, and the daily accessions to their wealth, endea- 
vored to instill into the minds of all — and they did, 
notwithstanding the opposition of the better informed, 
instill into the minds of many — the sentiment that the 
pope of Rome was constituted by Jesus Christ, a legisla- 
tor and judge over the whole church, and therefore that 
all other bishops derive their authority from him ; and 
that even councils can decide nothing without his direc- 
tion and approbation. To bring men to listen to and re- 
ceive this new system of ecclesiastical law, which was 
so very different from the ancient system, there was need 
of ancient documents and records, with which it might 
be enforced and defended against the assaults of opposers. 
Hence the popes procured the forgery, by their trusty 
friends, of conventions, acts of councils, epistles, and 
other documents, by which they might make it appear, 
that from the earliest ages of the church, the popes pos- 
sessed the same power and authority which they now 
claimed. Among these fraudulent supports of papal 
power were the Decretal Epistles, (so called,) of the 
bishops of the first centuries. These were forged by the 
ingenuity of a man of obscure birth, who falsely assumed 
the name of Isidore, a Spanish bishop. Some vestiges 
of these fabricated epistles appeared in the preceding 
century. But they were first published and cited as au- 
thority in the ninth century. Of a similar origin and 
character were the decrees of a Roman council, said to 
have been holden under Sylvester, A. D. 324, but which 
was never known by any one till the ninth century, and 
than which nothing could have been more calculated to 
enrich and exalt the pope of Rome above all human au- 
thority. As to the spurious character of the epistles and 
decrees above mentioned, it is believed that at the present 
day, even the advocates of popery, who pay any regard to 
established truth, confess the cheat, and their authenticity 
is now universally abandoned even by papists themselves. 
And yet, these very epistles and decrees are in a great 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 69 

measure the foundation of papal pretension and claim. 
For certain it is, past all question, that all the claims of 
popery to supremacy, derived from primitive usage or 
history, are utterly destitute of all foundation in truth. 
Nevertheless we hear, and probably shall continue to 
hear, of the holy apostolical church of Rome, as if this 
body could trace its origin to an apostolical source. 
When the truth is, the real source is a parcel of forgeries 
of the ninth century, bearing the name of apostolical. 
The pope obtained the liberty to style himself universal 
bishop in the seventh century, as we have seen. But he 
did not obtain full possession of his assumed rights until 
the ninth century, and that on the ground of the above 
forgeries. And while the light and intelligence of the 
present day have compelled even the votaries of popery 
to confess the spurious nature of these documents, is it 
not strange that men should be found in this day, and in 
this country, who are willing to uphold -this dominion 
founded in deception ? Have we not reason to expect 
that every papist in the world now, who has the least re- 
gard to consistency or truth, or a mind at all open to 
conviction, will confess that the power and pretensions 
of popery are all usurpation ? 

But, notwithstanding the deep gloom of the ninth cen- 
tury, its dark shades were greatly augmented in the tenth. 
The testimony of historians concerning this century is, 
that the history of the church and its officers, especially 
of the popes, is a history of monsters, a history of the 
most atrocious villanies and crimes. This is admitted 
by all writers without distinction, even by the advocates 
of popery. Benedict IV. died near the commencement 
of the tenth century, and Leo V. was elected his suc- 
cessor ; but he reigned only forty days, when Christo- 
phanes dethroned and cast him into prison. In the fol- 
lowing year, Sergius III., a presbyter of Rome, strip- 
ped Christophanes of the pontifical dignity. After the 
death of Lando, in 914, the rich and powerful mar- 



?Q HISTORY OF POPERY. 

quis of Tuscany, called Alberic, or, according- to some 
writers, Adelbert, by the instigation of his wife's mo- 
ther, Theodora, a very lewd woman, who controlled 
all things at Rome, made John, her paramour, the suc- 
cessor to the papal throne. For at this time nothing was 
conducted regularly at Rome, but every thing was car- 
ried by violence and bribery, and by the influence of the 
courtesans, Theodora and her daughters. The history 
of this John X. is briefly this. Peter, the archbishop of 
Ravenna, sent him, then a deacon, to pay his respects 
to his holiness the pope. John, being a comely person, 
attracted the attention of Theodora, who was then the 
presiding genius at Rome. She falling in love with him, 
engaged him in a criminal intrigue. While they thus 
lived together, the bishop of Bologna died, and this 
John was elected to fill his place. But before his conse- 
cration the archbishop of Ravenna died, and Theodora 
persuaded him to put in a claim to that vacancy. He 
was accordingly, at her request, consecrated by the pope. 
The pope died soon after, and Theodora, exerting all her 
influence, advanced John to the papal throne. Such was 
one of the holy fathers of Rome ! Supreme head of the 
church ! raised to that station by an abominable harlot ! ! 
The history of the remaining part of this century is little 
else than a history of violence, murders, rivalry, and cor- 
ruption. So much was this the case, that probably no 
court on earth ever equalled that of the pope for its per- 
fidy, cruelty, and pollution. It might well be called the 
seat of the beast, but how incongruous to call it the 
church of Christ ? It was not only mystically, but really 
and literally, the " Mother of harlots, and abominations 
of the earth" 

Concerning this century, Baronius, himself a papist, 
says : — " It is usual to denominate it the iron age, on ac- 
count of its barbarity, and barrenness of all good ; also 
the leaden age, on account of the abounding wickedness 
by which it was deformed, and the dark age, on account 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 71 

of the scarcity of writers. One can scarce]y believe, 
nay, absolutely cannot credit, without ocular demonstra- 
tion, what unworthy conduct, what base and enormous 
deeds, what execrable and abominable transactions, dis- 
graced the holy catholic see, which is the pivot on which 
the whole catholic church revolves. Temporal princes, 
who, though called Christians, were most cruel tyrants, 
arrogated to themselves the election of the Roman pon- 
tiffs. Alas, the shame! Alas, the mischief! What 
monsters, horrible to behold, were then raised to the holy 
see, which angels revere ! What evils did they perpe- 
trate, what tragedies ensued ! With what pollutions was 
this see, though itself without spot or wrinkle, then 
stained ! What corruptions infected it ! What filthiness 
denied it, and hence what marks of perpetual infamy are 
upon it !" This, we must remember, is the language of 
a papist, which nothing but stubborn fact would have 
forced from him. He speaks, indeed, of the papal do- 
minion in this country as in a state of perversion and 
abuse ; but he ought to have known that popery was 
now in its glory, and had attained its maturity. These 
were its natural and legitimate fruits. And the only rea- 
son it had not arrived at this state long before, was the 
want of power and means. 

Amidst all these commotions, and the reiterated crimes 
and contests of those who called themselves Christ's vice- 
gerents, so great was the prevailing ignorance and super- 
stition of the times, so debased and blinded were the 
minds of men, that the power and influence of the popes 
were continually advancing. It is true that Otto the 
Great introduced a law that no pope should be elected 
without the knowledge and consent of the emperor, and 
this regulation continued to the end of the century. This 
emperor, with his son and grandson of the same name, 
held uniformly their right of supremacy over the city of 
Rome and its territory, as well as over the pope himself. 
And the more intelligent bishops of France and Ger- 



72 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

many, throughout the century, were on the alert to pre- 
vent the usurpations of the pope. But still the popes, 
sometimes openly and directly, and sometimes by strata- 
gem, invaded the rights of both emperors and kings ; 
and it has been observed that there were bishops in this 
century, though never before, that called the bishops of 
Rome, bishops of the world ; and some among the French 
clergy conceded, what had never before been heard of, 
" that the bishops receive, indeed, all their power from 
God, but through St. Peter" (i. e. the Pope.) In this 
century, also, the inferior bishops began to seek worldly 
power and possessions, and actually obtained jurisdiction 
over cities and districts of country; and thus became, in 
fact, counts, marquesses, and dukes. Hence it was that 
from this time onward, so many bishops and abbots were 
to be seen sustaining also characters entirely foreign to 
their sacred functions, and enjoying the rank of nobles 
and princes ; and beside their ignorance and avarice, 
which were extreme, the papal clergy were chargeable 
with two great vices, which are deplored by most of the 
writers of those times ; namely, concubinage and simony. 
Not only the priests, but the monks also, connected them- 
selves with women in an unlawful manner, and with these 
concubines, and the children born of them, they squan- 
dered the property of the church. And then, there was 
scarcely any such thing as the canonical election of 
bishops and abbots ; but the kings, princes, and nobles, 
either conferred the sacred offices on their friends and 
ministers, for whom they had a partiality, or sold them 
to the highest bidders. Hence, often, men the most unfit 
and flagitious, sometimes soldiers and civil magistrates, 
were invested with spiritual offices of the highest dignity 
and importance. 

Such was the holy mother church, as her votaries su- 
perstitiously and ridiculously call her, in the tenth cen- 
tury. But who can fail to see that this church had be- 
come an apostate harlot church, long before this time ; 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 73 

and that she was no longer to be considered a branch or 
part of the visible church of Christ ? The first decidedly- 
apostate act seems to have been committed in the seventh 
century, when the bishop of Rome was constituted a 
pope or supreme head of the church. The apostacy was 
continued, and the character of a harlot church still more 
fully developed in the eighth century, when, by the ces- 
sion of the provinces of Italy by the king of France, the 
pope became a temporal prince. Christ is the only su- 
preme head of his church. When, therefore, any man 
arrogates this honor, or when any church acknowledge 
any other head, they renounce their allegiance to Christ 
and become apostate. Christ says, " my kingdom is not 
of this world." When, therefore, his professed minis- 
ters become temporal princes, and that in the name and 
by virtue of their office in the church, they are apostates 
from the principles of the gospel. And when a church 
submits to such dominion, it becomes apostate, and in- 
stead of a mother church, is properly denominated a 

MOTHER OF HARLOTS. 

The eleventh century is fruitful in events which con- 
cern the advance and grandeur of popery. The papal 
bishops, when raised to the rank of dukes, counts and 
nobles, and enriched with territories, castles and wealth 
of every kind, became devoted to their pleasures and 
magnificence. They hovered about courts, attended 
with splendid retinues of servants. At the same time, 
the inferior clergy, few of whom exhibited any virtue or 
integrity, gave themselves up without shame to frauds, 
debaucheries and crimes of various descriptions. At the 
commencement of this century, the popes exercised in- 
deed very great power in ecclesiastical affairs. For 
they were styled by most persons, masters of the world, 
and universal fathers. Still, their authority had till now 
some few limits. But from the time of Leo IX., the 
popes labored incessantly to be acknowledged as sove- 
reign in the church, not only as superior to all councils, 

7 



74 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

and the divinely constituted distributors of all the offices^ 
and disposers of all the property in the church ; but also, 
they labored to be acknowledged as lords of the whole 
world, judges over all judges, and kings over all kings. 
The kings of Europe, though they might at times have 
resisted this arrogancy, did, on several occasions, very 
imprudently accede to these assumptions, to secure their 
own private ends. Thus, William the conqueror, when 
he was about to invade England from Normandy, is re- 
ported to have sent ambassadors to the pope, in order, as 
Matthew Paris says, that the enterprize might be sanc- 
tioned by apostolical authority. The pope, after consi- 
dering the claims of both parties, would naturally side 
with him who was likely to be most able to return the 
favor, therefore he sent a standard to William, as a token 
of his approbation, and a harbinger of royal authority. 
And the Normans are said, humbly to have requested of 
Leo IX. to confer on them territories which they now 
occupied, and those on which they might afterwards 
seize. Benedict IX. was a man of such flagitious cha- 
racter, that the Roman citizens could no longer endure 
him, but hurled him and his infallibility from the papal 
chair. But he was restored soon after, by the emperor 
Conrad. As he continued his base conduct, the Romans 
in six years again expelled him, and assigned the pope's 
seat to John of Suabia, who was called Sylvester III. 
But after three months, Benedict again forced his way to 
the papal chair, and Sylvester w r as obliged to flee. But 
finding the Romans implacable towards him, he sold the 
popedom to John Gratian, who took the name of Gregory 
VI. The question might here be started, w T here was 
the infallibility of popery, when these rival popes were 
struggling to subdue each other ? Was this a struggle 
of infallibility with itself, or did this important quality 
stand by, waiting for the victor ? At any rate, it would 
seem that the holy mother had now become a monster, 
for she had two heads ! The emperor Henry at length 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 75 

took up the matter, and to end the dispute he deposed 
both popes, notwithstanding their infallibility, and placed 
a man in the vacant chair who was called Clement II. 
But on the death of Clement, the flagitious and pertina- 
cious Benedict IX. again assumed infallibility and seiz- 
ed the chair. The year following, however, he was 
obliged to flee, and leave the popedom to Damasus II. 
These transactions afford a striking illustration of 
papal prerogatives, as king of kings and lord of lords. 
The truth was, the pope was always disposed to exer- 
cise this supreme power when he could, and when he 
could not, he made a virtue of necessity and hoped for 
better times. 

In this century, a very remarkable character appeared 
on the stage of papal Europe, whose name in common 
life was Hildebrand, but who at length became pope Gre- 
gory VII. This man filled the Christian world with 
feuds, conflicts and confusion. He was a Tuscan by 
birth, of obscure parentage; first a monk of Clugni, then 
archdeacon of the church of Rome, and for a long time 
he possessed a paramount influence in the councils of the 
pope, and in the year 1073, he was raised to the papal 
dignity. Hildebrand, according to the testimony of his- 
tory, was a man of rare parts, competent to the greatest 
undertakings, intrepid, sagacious, and full of resources, 
but beyond measure proud, pertinacious, impetuous, un- 
tractable, and destitute of all true religious principle. The 
extravagance of his views, and the vastness of his plans, 
are discoverable in those noted propositions, which, from 
his name, are called the dictates of Hildebrand. These 
dictates, according to Harduin, are twenty-seven short pro- 
positions relating to the supreme power of the pope over 
the whole church, and over states. These propositions 
are found in the second book of the epistles of Gregory 
VII. These dictates are in part as follows, viz. " 1. The 
Roman church was founded by our Lord alone. 2. The 
Roman pontiff alone is justly styled universal. 3. 



76 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

He alone can depose bishops and restore them. His 
legate has the precedence of all bishops in councils, 
though he be of an inferior order, and he can issue sen- 
tence of deposition against them. 5. The pope can de- 
pose absent persons. 6. No person may live under the 
same roof with one excommunicated by the pope. 7. 
The pope alone is competent, as occasion shall require, 
to enact new laws, to gather new congregations, to di- 
vide rich bishoprics, and to unite poor ones. 8. He 
alone can use the imperial insignia. 9. That all princes 
should kiss his feet only. 12. It is lawful for him to 
depose emperors. 16. No council without his order is 
to be accounted a general council. 18. His sentence is- 
not to be reviewed by any one, while he alone can review 
the sentences of all others. 19. He can be judged by 
no man. 20. No person may presume to condemn a 
person that appeals to the apostolical see. 21. The 
greater causes of every church should be carried up to 
that see. 22. The Romish church never erred, nor 
will it, according to the scriptures, ever err. 24. That 
with the pope's license subjects may impeach their sove- 
reigns. 26. No one is to be esteemed a catholic who 
does not harmonize with the Romish church. 27. The 
pope can absolve subjects from their allegiance to un- 
righteous sovereigns." 

Nearly the whole form of the church was changed by 
this pope. The most valuable rights of other men, and 
communities, were subverted and transferred to the pope. 
And not only did Hildebrand introduce a new code of 
ecclesiastical law, but he endeavored to introduce a similar 
change into the civil code. He wished to reduce all 
kingdoms to fiefs of St. Peter, (i. e. the pope,) and to sub- 
ject all causes of princes and kings, and the interests of 
the whole world, to the arbitriment of an assembly of 
bishops, who should meet annually at Rome. He pre- 
scribed the following oath to be taken by all future em- 
perors or kings of Rome, viz. "From this hour on- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 77 

ward, I will be faithful with upright integrity to the 
apostle Peter, and to his vicar pope Gregory, and what- 
ever the said pope shall command me under the form, by 
true obedience, I will observe with fidelity. And on the 
day when I shall first see him, I will with my own 
hands make myself a vassal of St. Peter and him." Gre- 
gory pretended that the kingdom of France was tributary 
to St. Peter, and he directed his ambassador to demand 
an annual tribute from the French. " You must," said 
he, " declare to all the Franks, and command them by 
true obedience, that each family is to pay annually at least 
one denarius to St. Peter, if they recognize him as their 
father and shepherd, according to ancient usage." 

He insolently addresses Philip L, the king of France, 
in the following manner. " Strive to the utmost to make 
St. Peter (i. e. the pope) your debtor, for in his hands are 
your kingdom and your soul, and he is able both to bind 
and loose you, both in heaven and on earth." The same 
pope contended that the kingdom of Spain was, from an- 
cient times, the property of St. Peter, and righteously be- 
longs solely to the apostolic see. And some of the Span- 
ish princes appear to have allowed this claim, for they 
actually paid a tribute. The same audacious claims were 
made against others, and we may say most of the king- 
doms of Europe. A prince of Russia* is said to have 
come all the way to Rome, to obtain the kingdom which 
he inherited from his father, by gift of the pope. And 
Gregory most graciously granted his devout prayer, be- 
ing certainly not backward to perform such offices ; and, 
in behalf of St. Peter, committed the government of the 
kingdom to the Russian prince. If Gregory's success 
had been equal to his wishes or his purpose, all Europe 
would at this day have been one great empire of popery, 
tributary to the Roman pontiffs, and all kings and lords 
would have been vassals of the pope. But the attempts 
of Gregory, if they did not succeed to the full extent of 
his wishes, were not wholly in vain. For from this time 
7* 



78 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

onward, the state of the whole of Europe was changed, 
and many of the rights and prerogatives of kings and 
emperors were either abridged or annulled. And, if 
Gregory was not as successful as he could have wished, 
in regard to the subjection of Europe, his triumph in 
Italy was equal to his most sanguine expectations. He 
persuaded Matilda, the daughter of Boniface, (a powerful 
and opulent duke of Tuscany,) a princess of great in- 
fluence, with whom he was on terms of great intimacy, 
after the death of her husband and her mother, to make 
the church of Rome heir to all her estates, both in Italy 
and out of it. The popes, as historians relate, had to en- 
counter much difficulty respecting this splendid inherit- 
ance, yet after various struggles, they retained no small 
share, which they hold to this day. 

A contest having arisen between Gregory and Henry 
IV., king of the Romans, the pope proceeded to excom- 
municate the king, and absolve his subjects from their 
allegiance, and to summon the king to Rome, to answer 
before a council to the charges brought against him. In- 
dignant at this message, the king called a council and 
proceeded to depose Gregory, and appointed a meeting 
for the election of a new pope. This raised the ire of his 
holiness, and both parties resorted to war. Henry was 
forsaken by some-of his princes, and, though a brave man, 
was reduced to circumstances which rendered it neces- 
sary for him to make his submission to the pope. For 
this purpose he repaired barefooted, in the depth of win- 
ter, with his wife and child, to the city where the pope 
then was. There he remained at the gate from morning 
till night for three days together, fasting, and humbly 
craving admittance and audience. At length word came 
from the pope that he had no leisure to hold converse 
with him. The king patiently waited at the gate, until 
his request was granted, through the entreaties of Ma- 
tilda, the pope's mistress. At length being admitted, as 
a token of his submission, he yielded his crown into the 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 79 

pope's hands, desiring to be absolved and forgiven. He 
obtained absolution from the sentence of excommunication 
only, for the question respecting his restoration to the 
throne was deferred. Henry, however, was soon after in 
a condition to face his enemy. He entered Rome with 
an army, and besieged the pope in the castle of St, An- 
gelo. The siege was raised by a Norman duke, but the 
pope no longer feeling safe in the city, left Rome ; and 
in the year 1085," this most ambitious and audacious of all 
the popes that ever lived, came to his end. 

The twelfth century opened with no brighter prospects 
for the church, and no improvement in the character of 
her officers and teachers. Concerning this century, the 
testimony of history is as follows. Wherever we turn 
our eyes we discover traces of dishonesty, ignorance? 
luxury, and other vices with which both the church and 
the state were contaminated, by those who pretended to 
be the guardians and leaders in all religious concerns* 
If we except a few individuals who were of a better cha- 
racter, and who lamented the profligacy and vices of 
their order, all of them disregarded the salvation of the 
people, were intent on following their base propensities, 
increasing their wealth and honors, encroaching and 
trampling on the rights of sovereigns and magistrates, 
and living in luxury and splendor. Bernhard, in his five 
books of meditations, addressed to pope Eugene, and in 
his apology addressed to Abbot William, censures and 
deplores the shameful conduct of the popes and bishops, 
and the base lives of the monks. Hume, in his history 
of England, chap. 10, says of Richard I., king of Eng- 
land, when about to enter on his crusade to Palestine? 
that he carried so little of the appearance of sanctity in 
his conduct, that Fulk, curate of Neville, a zealous 
preacher of the crusade, who from that merit had ac- 
quired the privilege of speaking the boldest truths, advised 
him to rid himself of his notorious sins, particularly his 
pride, avarice, and voluptuousness, which he called the 



80 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

king's favorite daughters. You counsel well, replied 
Richard, and I hereby dispose of the first to the Tem- 
plars, the second to the Benedictines, and the third to my 
Prelates. Such a sarcasm from the king shows the no- 
toriety of clerical vice, as well as the direction it took 
in the principal classes of clerical persons. In the pre- 
ceding chapter Hume says, " We are told by Giraldus 
Cambrensis, that the monks and prior of St. Swithurn 
threw themselves one day prostrate in the mire before 
Henry II., complaining with many tears and much dole- 
ful lamentation, that the bishop of Winchester, who was 
also their abbot, had cut off three dishes from their table. 
How many has he left you, said the king ? Ten only, 
replied the disconsolate monks. I myself, exclaimed the 
king, never have more than three, and I enjoin your 
bishop to reduce you to the same number." The great 
object of the popes during the twelfth century, was to re- 
tain the possessions and power which had been gained 
by their predecessors, and to extend them still farther if 
possible. This state of feeling on the part of the priest- 
hood brought them into continual collision with the civil 
power. The dispute about the right of investitures, which 
had armed Gregory VII. and Henry IV. against each 
other, did not cease with the death of the former. But 
Paschal II., who was created pope near the close of the 
preceding century, renewed the decrees of his predeces- 
sors against investitures, and again excommunicated 
Henry. The king resolutely resisted these attempts, 
until, two years after, his own son, Henry V., declared 
against him, and his cause was irreparably ruined. But 
ihe pope absolved the son of his oath of obedience to his 
father, and zealously supported him in his unnatural 
rebellion. 

At length, however, a violent contest arose between the 
pope and this very Henry V., and the king caused his 
holiness to be seized, and, as a prisoner, to be conveyed 
to the castle of Viterbo. When he had lain there a 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 81 

season, a new convention was formed, in which the pope 
conceded to the king the right of giving investiture to 
bishops and abbots with the staff and ring. The pope, 
however, being violently accused at Rome for making 
this concession, he, to gain the favor of the Romans, as- 
sembled a council in the lateran palace, and before that 
council humbly confessed his fault in forming such a 
convention with the emperor, and submitted the matter 
to the decision of the council. The result was, that the 
compact was rescinded, and the emperor or king, Henry 
V., was excluded from communion, and even classed 
among heretics, than which, nothing in that age was 
more dreadful. Soon after, the pope died. In suc- 
cession, two popes were brought forward by different 
parties, which event exhibits the holy mother church 
again with two heads ! One of these was set up by the 
emperor in opposition to the one elected by the Romans I 
The latter, finding himself unsafe at Rome, retired to 
France, and soon after died. At length, under Calixtus 
II., and after multiplied efforts, contests, excommunica- 
tions, and threats of rival popes and pretenders, a peace 
was settled, and the question about investitures was put 
at rest by giving the right, substantially, to the pope. 

A dispute arose between Hadrian IV., pope of Rome, 
and Frederick I., surnamed Barbarossa, emperor of 
Germany, on the ground that the pope required the em- 
peror to perform the office of groom in holding his stir- 
rups when he mounted his horse. This the emperor 
refused to do. An open rupture seemed about to take 
place, when the pope was removed by death. When a 
new pope was to be elected, the cardinals were divided 
into two factions. Each faction elected a pope, so that 
holy mother was again furnished with two heads ! The 
emperor joining with one, the other was obliged to quit 
Rome and Italy, and retire to France. And when the 
successful competitor died, another was immediately put 
in his place. The exiled pope, however, found means to 



82 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

return to Italy and prosecute his cause with some success 
in the lateran council at Rome. The emperor in the 
mean time marched his army towards Rome, intending to 
chastise those cities and provinces which had revolted 
from him. But he met with disappointments and re- 
verses which materially changed the aspect of affairs. 
He concluded a peace with his rival pope, Alexander III. 
And it is said by some that the pope compelled the em- 
peror to kiss his great toe in token of submission, and by 
others, that the pope, placing his foot on the neck 
of the suppliant emperor, repeated the words of David, 
" Thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder. ." The 
correctness of this account, however, is questioned by 
modern writers. 

This same Alexander III. had also a contest with Henry 
II. of England, on account of Thomas Becket, arch- 
bishop of Canterbury, the circumstances of which were 
as follows. A priest of the popish order had debauched 
the daughter of a gentleman in Worcestershire, and then 
murdered the father to prevent the effects of his resent- 
ment. The atrocity of the crime raised a spirit of indig- 
nation among the people, and the king insisted that the as- 
sassin should be tried by the civil magistrate. This Becket 
opposed, alleging the privileges of the church. In order 
to determine this matter, the king assembled a council of 
the nobility and prelates at Clarendon, to which he sub- 
mitted this great and important affair, and desired their 
concurrence. A number of regulations were then drawn 
up, which were afterwards well known under the title of 
the Constitutions of Clarendon, and were then voted 
without opposition. By these regulations it was enacted 
that clergymen, accused of any crime, should be tried in 
the civil courts, that laymen should not be tried in the 
spiritual courts except by legal and reputable witnesses. 
Pope Alexander condemned these regulations in the 
most decisive manner, and finally annulled them. Becket 
took part with his holiness, and fled to the pope, who was 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 83 

then in France. The pope and Becket were not remiss 
to retort their fulminations, and to shake the very foun- 
dations of the king's authority. Becket compared him- 
self to Christ, who was condemned by a lay tribunal, and 
who was, as Becket represented, crucified anew under 
the oppressions under which the church now labored. 
But he did not rest in mere complaint; he issued a cen- 
sure excommunicating the king's chief ministers by 
name, and all who obeyed or favored the Constitutions of 
Clarendon. At length, however, a compromise was 
effected by which Becket was permitted to return to Eng- 
land. But nothing could exceed the insolence of Becket 
on his return. Instead of retiring quietly to his diocess, 
with that modesty which became a man just pardoned 
by his king, he made a progress through Kent in all the 
splendor and magnificence of the pope himself. As he 
approached Southark, the clergy and laity, men of all 
ranks and ages, came forth to meet him, and celebrated 
his triumphal entry with hymns of joy. Thus being 
confident of the support of the multitude, he began to 
launch forth his thunders against those who had been 
his former opposers. The archbishop of York, who had 
crowned Henry's eldest son in his absence, was the first 
against whom he denounced sentence of suspension. 
The bishops of London and Salisbury he actually ex- 
communicated. One man he excommunicated for having 
spoken against him, and another for cutting off the tail 
of his horse. 

Henry was in Normandy while the primate was thus 
triumphantly parading through the kingdom. And it 
was not without the highest indignation that he received 
information of his turbulent insolence. When the sus- 
pended and excommunicated prelates arrived, his anger 
knew no bound. The archbishop of York remarked, 
that while Becket lived, the king could never expect to 
enjoy any peace. The king replied, that he had no 
faithful friends about him, or he should not so long have 



84 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

been exposed to the insolence of that ungrateful hypo- 
crite. These words, whatever may have been their in- 
tent, induced four of his courtiers to repair secretly to 
England, and slay the primate in the year 1170. The 
assassins immediately fled to Rome, where they obtained 
absolution, on condition of doing penance and going into 
perpetual exile. The king, after various altercations, 
and making such expiation as the pope required, a part 
of which was, that he should walk barefoot to Becket's 
tomb, and there be scourged on the naked back, ob- 
tained absolution. As for Becket, he was at once en- 
rolled among the holy martyrs, and considered a glori- 
fied saint of the highest order, and so stands in the calen- 
dar of the popish church. 

Thus it appears, that the popish priesthood of that age 
had renounced all subordination to the magistrate ; they 
openly claimed exemption, in criminal accusations, from 
a trial before the courts of justice, and were gradually 
aiming at a like exemption in civil matters. Spiritual 
penalties alone could be inflicted on their offences. And 
as the priesthood had very much multiplied in England, 
and many of the popish priests were of very low charac- 
ter, crimes of the deepest dye, murders, robberies, adul- 
teries and rapes, were daily committed with impunity by 
the priests. It had been found, for example, on inquiry, 
that no less than an hundred murders had, since the 
king's accession, (from 1154 to 1163,) been perpetrated by 
the servants of the pope, who had never been called to 
an account for these offences. Introduction to the priest- 
hood had become a full protection for all kinds of enor- 
mity. The papal church was now in the plenitude of its 
power, the zenith of its glory. Such, then, must be con- 
sidered its legitimate fruits. "By their fruits," saith 
our Saviour, "ye shall. know them. Do men gather 
grapes of thorns or figs of Thistles ? They come to you 
in sheeps' clothing, but inwardly they are ravening 
wolves." 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 85 

The thirteenth century exhibits increasing disclosures 
of the deep and deadly corruptions of the apostate church. 
The testimony of history in regard to this century is, 
that both Greek and Latin writers censure and condemn, 
without reserve, the iniquities and vices of their bishops 
and religious teachers, nor can any one, acquainted with 
the history of this century, pronounce their complaints 
excessive. A lively picture of the truth in this respect, 
may be seen by reading the history of the popes. They 
uniformly and perseveringly urged with violence, mena- 
ces, fraud and force of arms, that fundamental principle 
of the papal canon law, that the pope is the sovereign 
lord of the whole world, and that all other rulers in 
church and state, have just so much power and authority, 
as he sees fit to allow them to have. Resting on this 
fundamental principle, the popes arrogated to themselves 
the absolute power, not only of conferring sacred offices 
or benefices, as they are called, but also of giving away 
empires ; and likewise of divesting kings and princes of 
their crowns and authority. 

In order to reign more absolutely and securely both in 
church and state, the popes claimed particularly the right 
of appointing all presiding officers in the church, of every 
rank and description, bishops, abbots, canons, &c, at 
their pleasure. Thus, they who had formerly contend- 
ed so strenuously for the free election of presiding officers 
in the church, in opposition to the encroachments of em- 
perors and kings, now themselves prostrated the whole 
right of free elections ; and either reserved to themselves 
the richest benefices, or provided for the vacant churches 
by assigning to them their dependents or friends ; and 
even set aside prelates who were duly elected, in order to 
substitute others in their places. The pretence was care 
for the safety of the church, and fear lest heretics should 
creep into the fold of Christ. Boniface VIII. declared 
boldly and distinctly, that the whole church is under the 
control of the pope ; and that kings and patrons, and 

8 



86 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

religious bodies have the powers only which the vicars 
of Christ choose to give them. The legates sent into 
the different provinces by the popes, eagerly imitated their 
masters, for they unhesitatingly invaded the rights of re- 
ligious bodies, and conferred the lesser benefices, and 
sometimes the larger too, at their pleasure, on such as 
they were partial to, on account of their money, or for 
other similar reasons. They extorted money in various 
ways, and often in such as were most iniquitous; they de- 
ceived the unguarded by forged papal briefs, and by 
other artifices. They not unfrequently disturbed the 
public tranquillity, and put themselves at the head of fac- 
tions ; they carried on a most scandalous and wicked 
traffic in relics and indulgences, and did other things 
even worse than these. Hence, all the writers of these 
times are full of complaints of the crimes and villanies 
of the papal legates. This evil extended so far that in 
1256, pope Alexander IV. felt himself compelled to issue 
a severe edict against the fraudulent practices of legates. 
But men who had influence at the court of Rome could 
easily evade its force. 

Pope Innocent III. who governed the papal church in 
the beginning of this century, though learned accord- 
ing to the standard of that age, and also laborious, was 
nevertheless rough, cruel, avaricious and arrogant. He 
adopted in full the maxims of Gregory VII., and claim- 
ed supreme dominion in the church, in respect to reli- 
gious concerns, all over the world. Consequently he cre- 
ated kings when and where he pleased. In Asia he gave 
a king to the Armenians. He raised a duke of Bohemia, 
and a duke of the Wallachians, and Bulgarians, to the 
honors of royalty. And in person he crowned at Rome, 
and saluted as king, Peter II. of Arragon, who had ren- 
dered his dominions tributary to the church. Many 
other proofs of his claiming absolute power over the 
whole world, may easily be gathered out of his epistles. 

But the event respecting popery, which above all 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 87 

others, distinguishes this century, is the rise and esta- 
blishment of the bloody and abominable court of the 
Inquisition. Some account of the origin and progress 
of this institution, may properly be given in this con- 
nexion. But the character, practices, and persecutions 
of this bloody tribunal, will be the subject of a distinct 
section. 

It was found by the friends of popery, that the extra- 
vagant pretensions of the prelates and popes, had opened 
the eyes of many to see the deformity of the existing 
system, and the opposition of some was excited against 
assumptions so vain and arrogant. Among these re- 
formers, Peter Waldo, of Lyons, and his followers, called 
Waldenses were conspicuous. They were all branded 
as infamous heretics. These heretics were rapidly mul- 
tiplying in all parts of the papal dominions. And now, 
that the cause of popery could no longer be defended by 
scripture or sound argument, it became necessary to re- 
sort to some new and extraordinary means, to support the 
fabric of the papal dominion. Innocent III., on learning 
the state of the case, sent extraordinary legates into those 
provinces, where the alleged heresies were breaking forth. 
The heretics were to be destroyed, root and branch, by all 
possible means. Among those who entered with great 
zeal upon this work of extirpating heretics, was one 
Dominic, a Spaniard, and founder of the order of preach- 
ing monks, called Dominicans. This man very strenu- 
ously assailed the heretics, and is generally considered 
the founder of the Inquisition. As this measure was 
found very effectual, and was entirely consonant with the 
genius of the papal church, and the spirit of its sup- 
porters, similar papal legates were sent into nearly all 
the cities, whose inhabitants were suspected of heresy. 
And that this tribunal, devised for subduing heretics, 
might awaken more terror, the popes prevailed on the 
emperors and sovereigns of Europe, to extend the arm 
of civil power in execution of ecclesiastical sentence, 



88 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

and to enact severe laws against those called heretics, 
requiring the magistrates to punish with death, and parti- 
cularly with burning at the stake, all such as should be 
adjudged obstinate heretics by the inquisitors. In regard 
to the proceedings of this tribunal, they were uniformly 
marked with the utmost injustice, cruelty, oppression, and 
deliberate malice. And thus, by means of this tribunal, 
more than by any other means, was the papal church 
prepared to fulfil an ancient prophecy, in which she is 
described as " wearing out the saints" The people of 
God were in many instances literally worn out, in the 
dungeons, and under the tortures of the inquisition. Of 
these persecutions an account will be given in the sequel. 
In the mean time, it may be proper here to subjoin some 
statement of the principles and rules by which the pro- 
ceedings of this tribunal were regulated. The power 
of the inquisitors was unlimited : they proceeded against 
whom they pleased, without any consideration of age, 
sex, or rank. However infamous the accusers, the accu- 
sation was deemed valid ; and even anonymous informa- 
tion was regarded as sufficient evidence. The dearest 
friends or kindred could not, without danger, serve any 
one who was imprisoned on account of religion. To 
convey to those who were confined a little straw, or to 
give them a cup of water, was esteemed favoring here-> 
tics. No lawyer dared to plead even for his own 
brother, or notary dared to register any thing in favor of 
the reformed. The malice of the papists went even be- 
yond the grave : they often dug up the bones of those 
accused of heresy, and burnt them to ashes, and strewed 
them in the river. 

A person became suspected of heresy, if he said any 
thing that might offend others, if he misused the sacra- 
ments, or other sacred things, if he treated the images 
with disrespect, if he possessed, read, or gave to others to 
read, books prohibited by the inquisition, if he said mass 
or heard confessions without being in orders, if he at- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. CW 

tended even for once the preaching of heretics, if he did 
not appear before the inquisition as soon as cited, if he 
showed any kindness to a heretic, or assisted him to 
escape. Abettors of heresy were those who harbored 
heretics or did not give them up. When the inquisition 
discovered a transgressor of their laws, either by common 
report or by their spies, or by an informer, he was cited 
three times to appear before them, and if he did not ap- 
pear, he was forthwith condemned. It was safest to 
appear on the first citation, because the longer a man de- 
layed, the more guilty would he be esteemed. And the 
inquisitors had their spies, and a thousand concealed ways 
for getting an absconding criminal into their power. 
When a reputed heretic was once in the hands of the 
inquisition, no one dared to inquire after him, to write to 
him, to intercede for him, or in any way to manifest any 
interest in his welfare. Friends must here abandon 
friends. Husband and wife must be put asunder, parents 
must abandon their children to the jaws of this horrid 
Moloch, and never open their mouths in complaint or 
sympathy. All this will be verified by facts hereafter to 
be related. The victim was first secured by a sudden 
and unexpected arrest, often in the silent hours of the 
night. And the announcement of the holy inquisition, 
by its officers, at any door, or under any window, would 
at once remove its bars, and cause the inmates of do- 
mestic quiet to spring from their beds, to hear and obey 
the mandates of the holy office. No barrier could avail 
here. The order must be instantly obeyed, or life was 
the penalty. When the victim w-as seized and all his 
effects secured, then the process began. But it was 
usually protracted in the most tedious manner. After 
many days, and perhaps months or years, which the 
accused dragged out in a loathsome dungeon, the keeper 
would ask him, as if it were accidental, whether he 
wished for a hearing. When he appeared before his 
judges, they would inquire, as if they knew nothing 
8* 



90 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

about him, who he was, and what he wanted. If he 
wished to be informed what offence he had committed, 
he was admonished to confess his faults himself. If he 
confessed nothing, time was given him for reflection, and 
he was remanded to prison. If, after a long time allowed 
him, he still confessed nothing, he must swear to answer 
truly all the questions put to him. If he would not 
swear, he was condemned without farther process. If 
he swore to give answer, he was questioned in regard to 
his whole life, without making known to him his offence. 
He was, however, promised a pardon, if he would truly 
confess all his offences : in other words, if he would 
accuse and criminate himself. An artifice this, by which 
his judges often learnt more than they knew or suspected 
before. At last the charges were presented to him in 
writing, and counsel also was assigned him, who, how- 
ever, dare not say a word in his favor, and whose sole 
advice was that he should confess fully his faults. The 
accuser and informer against him were never made 
known, but the charges against him, and these were often 
composed of things drawn from his own lips by the 
promise of pardon, were put into his hands, and he was 
required to prepare for defence. But what defence could 
be made in such a case ? It was but the appearance 
of justice and equity of proceeding — it was all a piece of 
mockery, for no defence would be admitted — the victim 
must be sacrificed, and the spotless purity of an angel 
would avail nothing. If the answers of the accused in 
his defence did not satisfy the inquisitors, or if the alle- 
gations against him were likely to fail for want of osten- 
sible proof, recourse was had to torture, to force the ne- 
cessary confession from the criminal. The tortures in 
common use in the inquisition, for the purpose of forcing 
their victims to confess something for which they might 
condemn them, were, the rope, water, and fire. The 
rope was a strong cord passed under the arms, which 
were tied behind the back of the accused. By this rope 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 91 

he was drawn up high into the air by a pulley, and there 
left to hang for a time. At length he was suddenly let 
fall to within half a foot of the ground, and frequently 
his joints were dislocated by the shock. If he still per- 
sisted in asserting his innocence, or would not confess 
any thing sufficiently heinous to justify his condemna- 
tion, the trial by water was next introduced. After 
making him drink a great quantity of water, he was laid 
upon a hollow bench, across the middle of which a 
stick of timber passed, which kept the middle of his body 
suspended, and caused most intense pain in the spine. 
But the last resort, and that the most cruel of all was, 
the torture by fire. In this, the feet were first smeared 
with grease, and then placed in near contact with a hot 
fire, or hot plates of iron, and the soles left to burn and 
crisp by inches, until the victim would confess all that 
they required. Each of these tortures was continued as 
long as the patient could bear it without dying ; for they 
would not allow him the relief of death ; and lest he 
should escape too soon out of their hands, they always 
had a physician of the holy office present, to feel the 
pulse, and watch the sufferer, and to slacken the severity 
of his torture, when it appeared to be more than he could 
live under. If the victim now confessed ever so much, 
still his tortures would be continued for a season, to dis- 
cover his motives, and then to make him disclose all his 
accomplices. So great often was the severity of the 
suffering, and so strong the temptation to obtain relief by 
discovering accomplices, that the sufferer, frantic with 
pain, and hardly knowing what he said, would name 
innocent persons, because he knew no other to name, 
and because driven to phrenzy with his torture. On 
such a disclosure, the persons named were instantly ap- 
prehended, and in their turn subjected to all the tortures 
of this horrid tribunal, to draw from them similar dis- 
closures. Thus, if persons once fell into the hands of 
these monsters in human shape, there was no relief. If 



92 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

they confessed crimes, they were punished to the extent 
of human ingenuity for the crimes. If they did not 
confess, they were tortured with equal severity for not 
confessing. Turn which way they would, innocent or 
guilty, their destruction was inevitable, and that in a 
manner, the cruelty and barbarity of which no pen can 
describe. This was the ordinary course, the common 
law of this bloody court. 

To form proper conceptions of the Inquisition, we 
must not view it in the distance, but bring it near, and 
make the case of its wretched victims our own. Suppose 
we lived in a community where its power was felt, and 
its mandates obeyed — nay, more, suppose we ourselves 
had fallen under its grasp, or that its ruthless hand were 
protruded into our families, to seize from our side, or 
force from our arms, a victim for its racks and dungeons. 
Suppose yourselves liable to hear, in the silence of mid- 
night, the doleful rap at your door or your window, which 
is followed in dismal sounds by the annunciation of the 
Holy Inquisition ! You spring from your bed, and 
in trembling haste, lest by delay you should be liable to 
accusation, you open your doors to the band of ruffians, 
who, without ceremony, take your wife or your child, 
and hurry oft', without giving you time even for a last 
adieu, to the holy office. In the bitterness of your soul 
you dare not breathe an audible sigh, or whisper a com- 
plaint, much less dare you interpose any efforts for their 
rescue or relief. You may not even inquire after them, 
or ever mention their names. And after all your cau- 
tion, the probability is, that the inquisitors, by the force 
of their tortures, will compel your dearest friends to im- 
plicate you so far, as that you may shortly have a call 
from the same banditti, and be hurried off to the same 
inevitable ruin. These are the blessings of popery ; the 
blessing which countries under her influence have felt 
for centuries. And what completes the infernal hypo- 
crisy of this court is, that when its victims are delivered 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 93 

over to the secular power to be punished, the life of the 
criminal is earnestly pleaded for, on the ground that the 
holy church never thirsts for blood ; when, at the very 
moment this plea is made, the civil magistrate knows that 
if he should pardon or spare, it would be at the peril of 
his own life. Such is the inquisition in its fundamental 
principles. No person could possibly escape destruction 
if an inquisitor were desirous of destroying him. A 
person charged with heresy, even if he had been acquit- 
ted by the pope himself, might still be condemned by the 
inquisition. An equivocal promise of pardon was often 
given to induce a confession, but the promise had no bind- 
ing force when the object was obtained. And even death 
did not free a person from the jurisdiction of this court ; 
for a deceased heretic must be burnt in effigy. The in- 
quisitors do not deny that by such proceedings many in- 
nocent persons will suffer ; but this gives them no trou- 
ble. "Better," say they, "that a hundred innocent per- 
sons, who are good catholics, should be cut off and go to 
paradise, than to let one heretic escape who might poison 
many souls, and plunge them into endless perdition." 

A peculiar feature of popery, by which the thirteenth 
and the succeeding centuries were distinguished, was the 
establishment and prevalence of what were called the 
Mendicant orders of monks ; that is to say, monks who 
had no possessions or revenues of their own, but who 
went about, living on the earnings of others. A class of 
persons of this description had become very necessary to 
the interests of popery. For the wealthy clergy, with- 
drawn from the care of the church by their opulence and 
their obsequiousness to the popes, and by indulging in 
idleness and voluptuousness, could no longer be employed 
in arduous labors, and the opposers of popery were taking 
advantage of this state of things, by reason of their su- 
perior activity and self-denial. They were, in conse- 
quence, acquiring great influence, and gathering congre- 
gations on every side. Moreover, it was a favorite sen- 



94 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

timent with the opponents of popery, that voluntary po- 
verty and suffering constituted a primary virtue in a ser- 
vant of Jesus Christ. They therefore required their own 
teachers to live in poverty like the apostles, while they 
reproached the papal church for its riches, and for the 
vices of the clergy growing out of these riches. By {he 
propagation of these sentiments, and the exemplification 
of them in their lives, the heretics, as the papists called 
them, gained favor with the people. A class of persons, 
therefore, was much wanted in the ranks of popery, who, 
by the austerity of their manners, and an apparent con- 
tempt of riches, and the ostensible sanctity of their rules 
of life, might resemble such teachers as the heretics 
both commended and exhibited, and whom neither their 
worldly interests nor pleasures, nor the fear of princes 
and nobles, could induce to neglect their obligations to 
the interests of popery, and the pope himself. Innocent 
III. was the first to discover, this exigency. He had a 
manifest partiality for mendicant orders, for he sent these 
mendicant or begging monks into all parts of the world, 
as heralds of the papal power ; and to increase their re- 
spectability and influence, he exempted them from the 
jurisdiction of the bishops, and declared them to be re- 
sponsible immediately and solely to the pope himself. 
By this means the number of mendicant friars was so 
rapidly increased, that they became a burden to the peo- 
ple, and, as one pope afterward denominated them, an un- 
bridled throng. As these orders were patronized by the 
pope, and were properly his scavingers, he gave them 
full liberty to go where they pleased. And as they made 
much more show of piety and self-denial than was com- 
mon among the papists, all Europe was suddenly filled 
with admiration and reverence for religious beggars. 
The people would go to hear nobody but the beggars, 
and would seldom receive the sacraments or burial from 
any other hands. Indeed, such was the superstitious re- 
verence felt for these begging friars, that in a short time 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 95 

they found their way to the principal stations of influence., 
both in church and state. The orders of mendicant 
friars most known were four, viz., Dominicans, Francis- 
cans, Carmelites, and Augustinians. But of these, the 
Dominicans and Franciscans were most distinguished by 
their glory and power. For notwithstanding their pro- 
fessed poverty, which gave them their influence, no sooner 
did. they gain the influence than they perverted it for their 
own emolument, and thus reverted to the very evils 
which they professed to avoid, viz., opulence and vice. 
And during three centuries these two orders of monks 
had the control of almost every interest and transaction 
in church and state. They held the highest offices both 
ecclesiastical and civil ; they taught with absolute au- 
thority both in schools and churches, and defended the 
majesty of the popes against kings, bishops, and here- 
tics, with untiring zeal and amazing success. From the 
thirteenth century to the reformation by Luther, they were 
the soul of popery, and the projectors and executors of 
every important enterprise. 

Dominic, the founder of the Dominican order, was a 
Spaniard of the noble family of Guzman. He was a 
regular canon of Osma, a man of sanguine temperament, 
burning with zeal against heretics, who then, as before 
intimated, greatly disquieted the papal dominion. Do- 
minic, with a few companions, went into France to wage 
war with the heretics who abounded in that country. 
There he engaged them with sermons and essays ; but 
not successful in this warfare, he next resorted to military 
force, and finally to the tremendous power of the inqui- 
sition, of which he is considered the founder. With 
these carnal and anti-scriptural weapons he obtained ce- 
lebrity for his success against the Waldenses and Albi- 
genses. Then going into Italy, he readily obtained great 
favor with the reigning popes, and received permission 
to establish a new fraternity, the special object of which 
was to be the extirpation of heretics. Dominic was the 



96 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

first general of this order, and so continued till his death, 
which occurred in 1221. In the year 1277, the order 
had thirty-five cloisters or monasteries for men in Spain, 
fifty-two in France, thirty-two in Tuscany, fifty-three in 
Germany, forty-six in Lombardy, thirty in Hungary, 
thirty-six in Poland, twenty-eight in Denmark, forty in 
England, besides some in other countries, and a large 
number of nunneries or cloisters for women. 

Francis, the founder of the Franciscans, was the son of 
a merchant in Umbria, and was a dissolute and reckless 
youth. But on recovering from a dangerous sickness, 
brought upon him by his licentious conduct, he exhibited 
a kind of religious lunacy, or fanaticism. Having by 
accident heard these words of Christ repeated, " Provide 
neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor 
scrip for your journey," &c, he conceived that the 
essense of the gospel, as taught by Christ, consisted in 
absolute penury in all things. This test he therefore 
prescribed to himself and his followers. However sin- 
cere he may have been in his intentions, he was greatly 
ignorant of the principles of the gospel, and weakened in 
his intellect by the force of his disease, and greatly per- 
verted the gospel, as will be seen in the course of his his- 
tory. The pope regarded this new order of paupers as 
peculiarly favorable to the interests of his dominion in 
these times, when he was greatly annoyed by the activity 
of his opponents. Francis was so humble, (at least in 
profession,) that he would not suffer his followers to be 
called by the name of brethren, but little brethren they 
must be, as taking a low place. He imagined that Christ 
appeared to him, and that he had visions and prophetic 
dreams. In a pilgrimage to Rome, he saw a multitude 
of beggars about the church of St. Peter, and exchanged 
clothes with one of the most shabby, and herded several 
days with their company. Praying one day near the 
walls of a decayed church in his native city, he fancied 
that he heard a voice, saying, " Go, Francis, repair my 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 97 

house, which you see is decayed." He went immediately 
and sold a large quantity of cloth belonging to his father, 
and brought the avails to the priest of that church for its 
repair. His father was offended, and attempted to arrest 
him as a deranged person ; in which light he was now 
generally viewed by his acquaintance. In the year 1206, 
his father took all property out of his hands, lest he should 
squander it. But he clothed himself in skins, and lived 
like a heggar, travelling the country, and exhorting all 
that came in his way to be religious. Some regarded 
him to be insane, and others as a distinguished saint. 
But he contrived to raise money enough to repair the 
old church above mentioned, and two others in the vici- 
nity. At one of them he established his head quarters, 
and established an order of monks, about the year 1208. 
Absolute poverty, entire obedience, much fasting and 
prayer, with constant efforts to convert sinners, were the 
requisites for admission to his order. Francis travelled 
much, preaching and working miracles, and enjoying 
revelations. On a certain time, while preaching, he was 
greatly disturbed by the chattering of some swallows 
about the premises. He turned to them and said, " My 
sisters, you have talked long enough, it is time for me 
to speak, do you give silence while the word of God is 
preached." They instantly obeyed the exhortation, and 
gave no farther trouble. In the year 1219, it is said that 
no less than 5000 persons attended the general chapter 
of this order. The followers of Francis now increased 
with great rapidity, and the preachers of the order spread 
all over Europe. He would allow of no splendor in 
his churches, and his followers must not own even a 
psalter or hymn book. In 1220, five Franciscan mis- 
sionaries were murdered in Morocco, which event con- 
tributed very much to raise the reputation of the order, 
and to increase its numbers. It is related by his follow- 
ers, that Francis, after praying for greater conformity 
to Christ, had his prayer answered by the appearance of 

9 



y« HISTORY OF POPERY. 

scars in his hands, and feet, and side, representing the 
five wounds of Christ. 

The two orders of the Dominicans and the Francis- 
cans wonderfully supported the tottering fabric of po- 
pery. This they did by searching out heretics and put- 
ting them to death, by performing missions favorable to 
the interests of the papal empire, and by confirming the 
people in their loyalty to the pope. Sensible of their 
importance and their fidelity, the popes employed them 
in all the important transactions of their kingdom, and 
conferred on them the highest privileges and advantages. 
They were commissioned to preach, hear confessions, 
and grant absolution without restraint. They were also 
furnished with full power to grant indulgences, by which 
the pope aimed to put them in a way to live without beg- 
ging, though it was a method altogether more degraded 
and flagitious. Thus it is said by Matthew Paris : " Our 
lord the pope now made the Franciscans and Dominicans, 
contrary to their wishes, I suppose, and to the injury 
and scandal of their order, his publicans and bedels. 
Our lord the pope has not ceased to amass treasures, 
making the Dominican and Franciscan monks, even 
against their inclinations, not fishers of men but of mo- 
ney." But the favors of the pope bestowed so liberally 
upon the Dominicans and Franciscans, while they weak- 
ened the ancient discipline, and infringed upon the rights 
of the regular clergy, produced also deadly hatred and 
endless contention between the mendicant orders them- 
selves, by rendering them rivals. Violent commotions 
and struggles in every country in Europe, and in the 
city of Rome itself, were the consequence. And though 
the popes of this and the following centuries used various 
means to compose and terminate these commotions, yet 
they were never able wholly to extinguish them, because 
the interests of popery seemed to require that its faithful 
servants, the mendicant monks, should be in honor and 
safety. And the privileges conferred by the popes upon 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 99 

these orders, excited a general odium against them, and 
deservedly too, for they were intolerably proud and arro- 
gant on all occasions. They assumed to be divinely com- 
missioned to explain (ipse dixit) the religion of Christ. 
They declared that they only understood the true way 
of salvation, they extolled the efficacy of their indul- 
gences, and boasted beyond measure of their familiar 
intercourse with God and the virgin Mary. And being 
dependent on the charity of the people, or rather upon 
what they could wheedle from the people by their pre- 
tences, they were extremely indulgent to all who came 
to them for spiritual guidance. Their confessions were 
easy, their penances light, they would say masses for 
money, they would open their burial enclosures to the 
rich, for which they were amply rewarded. But these 
mendicant orders, while they were the chief support of 
popery, gave the pope immense trouble by their mutual 
contentions. They could not agree who should have the 
precedence. Both orders claimed it, and both were de- 
termined not to yield. They therefore attacked and 
warred upon each other by their publications, and with 
unceasing invectives and criminations. But in the next 
place the Franciscan order was also split into two fac- 
tions, that contended fiercely with each other. The mo- 
nastic orders generally adopted the policy of allowing 
the possession of property by the body collectively, while 
they denied the liberty to individual members. But 
Francis prohibited his followers from possessing any 
property, either individually or collectively. But, after 
the death of their founder, many of his followers departed 
from this rule. And in this they were encouraged by 
the pope, Gregory IX., who, in the year 1231, published 
a more mild interpretation of this law. But others of 
the order were greatly offended by the relaxation of their 
ancient austerity. These were called the spiritual part 
of the order. But pope Innocent IV. attempted to com- 
pose their differences by the following crafty exposition 



100 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

of their rule. He declared that they might hold lands, 
houses, furniture, books, &c, and might use them freely, 
but that the right of property, the legal possession or 
ownership of the whole should belong to St. Peter, and 
to the church of Rome, (i. e. to the pope,) without whose 
consent nothing could be sold, exchanged, or transferred 
in any way to others. This exposition, however, did not 
satisfy the spiritual, who declared it to be a perversion, 
and some of them retired, and others were sent into ex- 
ile. Thus the lax interpretation of the rule finally pre- 
vailed, and was solemnly confirmed by pope Alexander 
IV., and a new aspect given to the whole order. 

But another contest of no less magnitude soon after 
arose to disturb the peace of this order of monks. From 
the beginning of the century there were circulated in 
Italy and other countries, various prophecies of the fa- 
mous Joachim, who was generally considered as divinely 
inspired, equally with the ancient prophets. Most of 
these prophecies were contained in a book which was 
called the Everlasting Gospel, or the Book of Joachim. 
This true or fictitious Joachim, among other things, fore- 
told in particular the destruction of popery, the defects 
and corruptions of which he severely censures. These 
predictions of Joachim were eagerly seized upon by the 
spirituals, as they were called, among the Franciscans ; 
they applied these prophecies to themselves, and conse- 
quently they maintained that Joachim had taught the 
true gospel, and that he was the angel, which John de- 
scribes in the Apocalypse, flying through the midst of 
heaven, &c. 

At the time these contentions were at their height, 
one Gerhard, a spiritual Franciscan, published an expo- 
sition of this everlasting gospel, ascribed to Joachim, and 
entitled his work, " An Introduction to the everlasting 
gospel." This work contained the following declara- 
tion, among other absurd and impious things : that the true 
gospel of God was exhibited to mankind by St. Francis, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 101 

and that the gospel of Christ would be abrogated in the 
year 1260, to make way for this new gospel, which 
would take its place. And that the ministers by whom 
this new dispensation was to be introduced, were to be 
itinerant barefooted friars. The University of Paris 
took strong ground against this book, and after many 
complaints and accusations against the mendicant monks, 
they prevailed to have the book publicly burnt. These 
dissensions among the Franciscans continued to increase, 
until they resulted, towards the close of the century, in 
open schism. The spirituals of Italy formed themselves 
into a distinct community, that they might live according 
to their understanding of the rule of Francis. But the 
lax party persecuted them with great severity. Many of 
them emigrated, but the fury of the opposite party pur- 
sued them, even in their exile. Down to the time of 
the reformation, these spirituals were engaged in the 
hottest warfare with other parties of papists, and numbers 
of them miserably perished in the flames of the inqui- 
sition. 

The doctrine of transubstantiation as a doctrine of 
popery, belongs to a different section ; but here in the 
order of historical events, in regard to the progress of 
popery, it may be proper to mention, that in this century, 
the consecrated elements of the eucharist as being the 
real body and blood of Christ, received divine honors 
and worship, even the same that were due to Christ 
himself. Splendid caskets were made, in which God, 
in the form of bread, might reside as in his hoUse. 
These were carried from place to place, and lamps and 
other decorations were added to these divine habitations. 
The consecrated bread was also carried in procession 
through the streets to the sick. At length, a festival to 
the body of Christ was instituted, and a day set apart 
expressly for the worship of the body of Christ, as 
existing in the consecrated bread. One Juliana, a nun, 
who lived at Liege, in the Netherlands, pretended that 
9* 



102 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

she had been divinely instructed that it was the pleasure 
of God, that an annual feast should be kept in honor of 
the holy supper, or rather the body of Christ, as present 
in the holy supper. The bishop of Liege supported her 
pretensions, and afterward, two popes confirmed the ap- 
pointment of this festival, and thus idolatry, in respect to 
the elements of the supper, was fully established as a 
part of popery. 

Another event occurring in this century serves to 
illustrate the genius of popery. In the year 1299, a 
rumor began to spread, that all who should visit the 
temple of St. Peter during the next year, would obtain 
the pardon of their sins, and as some supposed, for a 
hundred years. The pope, finding this popular delusion 
to take among the people, and that great numbers were 
hereby induced to visit Rome, to the no small pecuniary 
advantage of the papal seat, confirmed this observance, 
and. published plenary indulgence to all who should visit 
the temple of St. Peter at Rome, during the centennial 
year. The throng of pilgrims in consequence was so 
great, that the public roads in Italy exhibited an almost 
continuous procession, from one end to the other. Nearly 
every day, 200,000 foreigners might be counted at Rome, 
and it has been estimated that two millions of people 
visited Rome in the year 1300. So happy a result, and 
so rich a harvest, made the pope wish that a century was 
not so long. And succeeding popes could not wait for 
a hundred years to come about. A Jubilee was repeated 
in 1350, and afterward, the festival was appointed to be 
observed at the close of every 25 years. 

In the beginning of the fourteenth century, popery 
became so assuming and arrogant as to overact and 
weaken its own influence. Boniface VIII., in a very 
haughty letter addressed to Philip, king of France, 
maintained that all the kings and persons whatever, and 
the king of France among the rest, owed perfect obe- 
dience to the pope, and this not merely in religious con- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 103 

cerns, but in secular matters. The French king replied 
with severity. The pope repeated his assumptions with 
greater arrogance, and published the celebrated bull 
called Unan Sanctam, in which he asserted that Jesus 
Christ had established a two-fold power or sword in his 
church, a spiritual and a temporal — that the whole 
human race was subject to the pope, and that all who 
dissented from this doctrine were heretics, and could not 
expect salvation. The king of France did not relish 
this doctrine, but on the contrary, assembled his nobles, 
and through his attorney-general, William de Nogaret, 
he publicly accused the pope of heresy, simony, disho- 
nesty, and other enormities ; and urged the calling of a 
general council to depose the pope. His holiness was 
roused by this rough handling, and launched his anathe- 
mas and excommunication against the king and all his 
adherents. Again, Philip called an assembly of the 
states of his kingdom, and entered a formal complaint 
against the pope, and appealed to the decision of a gen- 
eral council. He moreover sent William de Nogaret 
into Italy, to bring the pope prisoner to Lyons, where he 
intended the council should be held. Nogaret was a 
man of resolution and energy, and little fearful of papal 
thunders. He raised a small force, and coming suddenly 
upon his holiness, he surprised him, and took him pri- 
soner. The pope was wounded in the affray by the 
stroke of the iron gauntlet of his antagonist, and died 
shortly after from rage of mind. His successor made 
peace with the king of France, by restoring him to his 
honors and privileges. But he was unwilling to ab- 
solve Nogaret, who had so grievously offended against 
the papal dignity. The French lawyer, however, per- 
severed in his attacks on popery. At length the pope 
died, and Philip managed to have the bishop of Bor- 
deaux, a Frenchman, elected in his place. The new 
pope was Clement V. He remained in France as the 
king wished, and transferred the papal court to Avignon, 



104 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

where it remained 70 years. This the Italian papists 
call the Babylonish captivity. This residence of the 
pope in France greatly shook the papal dominion in 
Italy. The popish authority was assailed by publica- 
tions, the territories of the holy see were invaded, and 
several cities revolted. Rome itself became the seat of 
tumults and cabals, and the laws sent thither from 
France were treated with contempt, both by nobles and 
common people. And the inquisitors, though active in 
the discharge of their duties, were unable to keep down 
the various seditions that arose. The pope, in the mean 
time, found that his treasury was becoming empty, and 
his revenues were in a great measure cut off. He was 
therefore driven to new methods of raising money. In- 
dulgences were sold more extensively, and a higher 
price was put upon all the instruments, letters or bulls, 
which issued from the papal court. Clement V. was 
governed all his life by the pleasure of the French king. 
This was a new era in the history of popery. He ab- 
solved Nogaret of his sin in striking and wounding pope 
Boniface, and abrogated all the laws enacted by that 
pope according as Philip required. On the death of 
Clement, 1314, there were violent contests among the 
cardinals, respecting the election of a new pope. The 
French demanding a Frenchman, and the Italians, an 
Italian. After two years' strife, the French again gained 
the victory, and the cardinal of Porto was elected. He 
assumed the name of John XXII. The emperor Lewis, 
of Bavaria, and Frederick, of Austria, having a dispute 
concerning the empire of Germany, the pope declared 
that the decision of this controversy belonged to him. 
But Lewis had conquered his rival, and assumed the 
government without asking the pope's leave. John was 
greatly offended, and divested the emperor of all right to 
the crown. Lewis, in return, accused the pope of heresy, 
and appealed to a general council. The pope, highly 
exasperated, laid the emperor under a decree of excom- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 105 

munication. The emperor returned the compliment by 
declaring the pope unworthy of his office, and placing a 
Franciscan monk in his stead, under the name of Nico- 
laus V. This pope crowned the emperor in despite of 
the opposing pope. Thus, was infallibility again arrayed 
against infallibility. On the death of John, new contests 
between the French and Italians arose, respecting the 
choice of a new pope. But the French again obtained 
their object, in the election of James Fournier, called Be- 
nedict XII. This pope seems to have been a man of 
honesty and of peace. Abating his superstition, which 
.was the fault of the age, he may be pronounced a good 
man. 

Gregory XI. transferred the papal residence again 
from Avignon to Rome. After the death of Gregory 
XL, the cardinals being met to choose a successor, the 
people of Rome, fearing lest a Frenchman should be 
elected, who would return the papal seat to Avignon, 
with furious clamor and threats, demanded the election 
of an Italian. The election was thus decided, and one 
was chosen, called Urban VI. But he proved so un- 
courtly in his manners, and so haughty withal as to dis- 
gust all his friends, especially the cardinals. They ac- 
cordingly withdrew to a city of Naples, and elected 
another pope called Clement VII., alleging that Urban 
was elected only in pretence to appease the people of 
Rome. This was a kind of pious fraud which was com- 
mon in those days. But which was the true pope, the 
connecting link between Peter and subsequent popes, 
remains to this day undetermined. Nor can it be as- 
certained from the records and documents which have 
been published in great abundance by both parties. Ur- 
ban remained at Rome, while Clement removed to Avig- 
non. The cause of Clement was espoused by France, 
Spain, Scotland, Sicily, and Cyprus. While the other 
papal kingdoms of Europe acknowledged Urban for the 
true vicegerent of Christ. This is surely a stubborn 



106 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

fact in the history of popery, too stubborn indeed for those 
who plead uninterrupted succession from St Peter, aridfor 
those who cry up popery as a system of unity. Where it 
may be asked, was the divine succession after the death 
of Gregory XI. ? And where was the unity of popery 
after the same period ? Was Urban VI. the true pope, 
then what were the successors of Clement VII. but 
schismatics, and vice versa ? Let papists, while they ac- 
cuse protestantism of being a system of disunion, and 
while they give credit to popery for the opposite quality, 
remember the great schism of the west, when for fifty 
years, popery had two or three heads at a time, and when 
opposing popes were hurling their curses at each others 
heads. But the detail of these events of confusion and 
distress would not be profitable. Suffice it to say, of the 
remaining popes of this century, that their dominion ex- 
hibited the spectacle of a house divided against itself, 
and in consequence it shook to its very basis. 

In the mean time, superstition continued to gain 
ground. The mendicant monks were every where re- 
vered and caressed. So high was the reputation of 
these men, for sanctity and for influence with God, that 
the most distinguished persons of both sexes, some while 
in health, and others in near prospect of death, wished 
to be received into their orders for the purpose of se- 
curing favor with God. Many carefully inserted in 
their last wills, that they would have their corpses wrap- 
ped in a sordid Dominican or Franciscan garment, and 
be buried among the mendicants. For the amazing su- 
perstition and ignorance of the age, led men to believe 
that those would find Christ a gracious judge at the last 
day, who should appear before his bar in company with 
mendicant monks. 

The monks were extremely odious to the bishops and 
doctors, and professors of divinity in the universities, on 
account of their popularity, and consequent arrogance 
and corruption. Among others who came out against 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 107 

them in this century, was John WicklifTe, an English 
doctor, and professor of theology at Oxford, and after- 
wards rector of Lutterworth. The monks, whom he 
greatly offended by his boldness and honesty, commenc- 
ed a process against him at the court of Gregory XI. 
But WicklifTe escaped through the protection of the 
duke of Lancaster. Forty years after his death, his 
bones were dug up and burnt by order of the papal 
council. 

In the latter part of the fourteenth century, a violent 
contest arose between the university of Paris, and the 
Dominican order, concerning the immaculate conception 
of the virgin Mary. A certain Dominican, in the name 
of his order, publicly denied that Mary was conceived 
without sin ; and maintained, that all who believed in 
her immaculate conception sinned against religion and 
the faith. The university of Paris condemned this 
opinion. For the university, influenced especially by 
the arguments of John Duns Scotus, had, almost from 
the beginning of the century, publicly adopted the sin- 
less conception of the virgin Mary. The question was 
referred to the pope, but was not decided to the satisfac- 
tion of either party. 

The fifteenth century opened with very general dissa- 
tisfaction, on account of the vices and corruption of the 
popish clergy. No teacher or writer of any eminence, 
can be named in that age, who does not lament the mi- 
serable influence of popery, and anticipate the ruin of 
the visible church, if God should not interpose for its 
rescue. At the commencement of the century, the papal 
church presented two heads, and those in fierce opposi- 
tion to each other. Boniface IX. was pope at Rome, and 
Benedict XIII., at Avignon. The great schism of the 
west was still continued, and grew more fierce and un- 
manageable. At length, the papal dominion was divided 
between three popes, and these fiercely assailed each 
other with reciprocal excommunications and anathemas. 



108 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

And surely, if there is any force in papal curses, these 
three popes must have been cursed many times over, and 
blasted beyond recovery. The popes could not be per- 
suaded to prefer the peace of the church to their own 
glory, and no resort remained, but to call a general 
council of the whole papal kingdom, to take cognizance 
of this great controversy. Accordingly a council was 
called at Constance, in the year 1414. The principal ob- 
ject of this council was to extinguish discord among rival 
popes, and this object was at length accomplished. For 
the council set aside the whole triad of popes then reign- 
ing, declaring them all to be illegitimate, and elected 
another man to fill the vacated seat. This decision pre- 
sents a fearful gap in the regular succession from St. 
Peter. If the decision of this council be correct, then 
the papal kingdom, called the holy mother church, was 
for a considerable season without a head. And how long 
she could live without a head is not told. But if the de- 
cision of the council of Constance was not correct, po- 
pery is hung on the opposite horn of the dilemma. Holy 
mother must have had three heads at once, which is little 
if at all better than to have none, for the question will 
arise, which of the three was the divine head. And this 
is a question which papists must answer, or yield their 
claim to divine right or regular succession. The dilem- 
ma here presented is, either three heads, or no head ! 
Let papists choose for themselves. One or the other 
must be admitted. But though the council of Constance 
composed the discords of popery, they fixed a stigma of 
everlasting disgrace on themselves, by their treatment of 
John Huss, and Jerome of Prague. The history and 
sufferings of these two martyrs of Christ, belongs to 
another section of the present work. But certain facts 
connected with their case, as illustrative of the genius of 
popery in this century, may properly be introduced in 
this place. John Huss, being summoned to the council, 
and being protected by a safe-conduct, or public pledge 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 109 

of the emperor, that he should be suffered to return in 
safety, went thither for the purpose of demonstrating his 
innocence, and proving the falsehood of the charges 
brought against him. But his enemies, who were nu- 
merous in the council, so managed as that, in violation of 
the public faith of the emperor, he was seized and cast 
into prison ; and when he would not confess guilt, he 
was, by order of the council, burnt alive on the sixth of 
July-, 1415. Full of faith and the love of God, his death 
was a triumph, both to himself and the cause of truth. 
But the fact illustrates a doctrine of popery which we 
shall examine at length in the proper place, viz., that faith 
is not to be kept with heretics. At any rate, we here be- 
hold a solemn council convened in the name of the whole 
papal dominion, by a public act renouncing truth, and 
rendering itself liable to the charge of perjury in the 
face of the world. This fact must be admitted to be a 
fair specimen of the papal character in that age ; and 
what it has been in other ages, facts will also show. 
The same fate was borne with the same pious fortitude 
and constancy by Jerome of Prague, the friend of Huss, 
who came to Constance to support and aid his friend. 
He at first, through fear of death, yielded to the council, 
and renounced his opinions. But being retained still in 
prison, he resumed courage, and was enabled to bear 
testimony to the truth at the stake, on the 30th of May, 
1416. 

After the council of Constance had disposed of the 
heretics, as they were called, though really the servants 
and martyrs of Jesus, it proceeded to take up the subject 
of a reformation of the church, in its head and members, 
according to the language of that day. All Europe saw 
and felt the need of such a reformation. Nor could the 
council deny that this was a chief object for which they 
had been convened. But the cardinals and principal 
men of the papal court, for whose interest it was that the 
disorders of the church should remain untouched, craftily 

10 



110 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

urged and brought the majority to believe that a business 
of such magnitude could not be managed to advantage 
without the previous election of a new pope. And when 
the new pope was elected, he evaded the design of re- 
forming the church, and manifested by his public acts 
that he wished the church to remain as it was. The 
council, therefore, after deliberating three years and six- 
months, and after covering themselves with indelible dis- 
grace by the perfidious murder of two pious men, broke 
up and left the business of reform where they found it, 
only assigning the task to a council to be called at the 
end of five years. Accordingly, after some delay, the 
pope summoned another council, which was finally or- 
dered to meet at Basil. In the mean time the existing 
pope died, but his successor confirmed the convocation of 
a council, and on the 23d of July, 1431, it commenced its 
sessions. A principal object of their meeting was under- 
stood to be the reformation of the church, in its head 
and in all its members, (i. e. in the pope and all orders of 
the clergy.) But the members of the council of Basil 
soon began to manifest a disposition to be in earnest in 
the business which they had undertaken. They made 
preparations to take hold on some of the corruptions of 
popery without ceremony. The pope became alarmed, 
and twice attempted to dissolve the council. This the 
members firmly resisted, and showed, by the decrees of 
the council of Constance, that a general council was su- 
perior to the pope. At length the pope, seeing himself 
so beset, and finding no present remedy, made a show of 
yielding, and professed to approve of the proceedings of 
the council. Some recent abuses of power on the part 
of the pope were corrected by this council, and they were 
about to proceed to more serious reform, when the pope 
concluded that this most audacious and troublesome coun- 
cil must be removed to Italy, where he could overawe 
the members, or be opposed and nullified by a rival coun- 
cil. Something, he saw, must be done to check the rising 



HISTORY OF POPERY. Ill 

spirit of reform, or his throne would soon tremble. The 
pope, therefore, by his legates, first ordered that the coun- 
cil should be removed to Italy. And when the members 
would not comply with this order, a violent conflict en- 
sued. The council summoned the pope to appear before 
them at Basil, and give an account of his conduct. The 
pope, on the contrary, dissolved the council, and appointed 
another at Ferrara. But the members were firm, and 
continued their sessions, and pronounced the pope contu- 
macious for his disobedience. The pope was equally 
obstinate, for he in person opened the council which he 
had called at Ferrara, and at once excommunicated the 
members of the council of Basil. The members of the 
opposing council returned the compliment by depriving 
the pope of his authority, and electing a new pope. The 
former pope issued a bull, anathematising the council of 
Basil, and rescinding all their acts. Here we have pope 
against pope, and council against council. Let papists 
look at these facts, and say no more about the unity of 
their community. Let them also look at these facts, and 
tell us where the infallibility of their church resides. Is 
it in the pope ? Then it has been nullified by the acts of 
opposing popes. Is it in general councils? Then it 
has been nullified by the acts of opposing councils. For 
it is absurd to suppose that infallibility, on the same sub- 
ject, at the same time, can operate in two opposite direc- 
tions, and contradict itself. Take, then, pope Eugene 
IV., and pope Felix V., who thundered away at each 
other, and rolled heavy curses on each other's heads, and 
tell us which was infallible ? Was Eugene ? Then Fe- 
lix could not be. But he was a pope, and must not a 
pope be infallible ? If not, who knows that any pope is 
so, and what becomes of this mighty claim ? Or take 
the councils of Basil and Ferrara, (or Florence, as it was 
afterwards called, on account of being removed to the 
latter city.) These general councils counteracted each 
other. Which was infallible? Was it the council of 



112 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

Basil ? Then the other must have been fallible. But it 
was- a general council ; and if one general council could 
err, who knows but others may ? In a word, these his- 
torical facts demolish absolutely and forever the pretence 
to infallibility, either in popes or councils. 

The above mentioned events awakened again the spirit 
of schism, which had been apparently allayed with so 
much toil at Constance. In the year 1458, the bishop of 
Siena ascended the papal throne, under the popish title of 
Pius II. When a bishop, by the name of JEneas Syl- 
vius, he had strenuously maintained the rights of coun- 
cils against the pope, and boldly defended the council 
of Basil against Eugene IV. But when made pope, he 
apostatized from himself, and denied all that he had pre- 
viously written in behalf of councils. He severely pro- 
hibited all appeals to councils, and decreed that pope Pius 
II. was to be heard and obeyed, while iEneas Sylvius 
was to be condemned. 

A Spaniard, whose name was Roderick Borgia, as- 
cended the throne of popery, under the title of Alexander 
VI. His predecessors, some of them, had been men of 
moderation, and considerable worth. Especially was 
this true of Nicolas V., who was a man of learning, and 
a patron of learned men, under whom the schism of the 
church was healed. But Alexander VI. was called the 
Nero among the popes. For though they were all, with 
very few exceptions, flagitious men, yet this pope was 
able, by his extraordinary villanies and debaucheries, to 
gain a pre-eminence even among such men. He was a 
monster of iniquity in every sense. He died by poison 
which he had prepared for others. Such was popery in 
this century. And yet papists, to be consistent with 
their principles, must ascribe holiness and infallibility to 
every wicked wretch, who by any means can gain the 
chair of popedom. 

The monastic orders followed the prevailing steps of 
the popes. They were mostly herds of ignorant, lazy, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 113 

dishonest, and debauched people. The monks that held 
property in their own name, such as the Benedictines and 
the Augustinians, were given to sensual gratifications. 
By the licentiousness of their lives, and disregard of iheir 
rules, they became extremely odious. The pauper or 
mendicant monks, (i. e. the Dominicans and Francis- 
cans,) offended as much by their arrogance, their quarrel- 
some temper, their invasion of the rights of others, their 
propagation of superstition, and their vain and futile dis- 
putes, as the opulent monks did by their luxury, their 
laziness, and their hatred of learning. Thus the religion 
of the papal dominion contained nothing which could 
recommend it to the esteem of a pious mind. The wor- 
ship of God consisted in empty ceremonies, which were 
puerile and silly. The sermons were filled with fiction. 
If a man reverenced the clergy as they were, and espe- 
cially the pope ; if he secured the favor of saints by fre- 
quent offerings to them, or what was the same thing, to 
their temples and priests ; and if he had money enough to 
purchase the pardon of his sins from the papal venders, he 
was accounted a well informed, pious Christian. If he 
went beyond this, and inflicted some external severities 
upon his body, he was then eminent for piety, and sure of 
adoration. Very few had any just views of true reli- 
gion, or the conformity of the heart to the laws of Christ ; 
and these few, if they were known, with difficulty escaped 
with their lives. Under this miserable state of things 
did the Christian world groan. It was the galling yoke 
of Satan, through the instrumentality of popery. For 
popery, let it be remembered, had performed its perfect 
work for near eight centuries. Though occasionally 
disquieted with schisms and witnesses for the truth, yet 
genuine popery had maintained the ascendancy, and ha4 
subjugated the human mind, as well as the physical 
powers, to its control. To popery, then, belongs all the 
credit of that miserable, dark, degraded, and polluted 
state of Christendom, at the close of the fifteenth century. 
10* 



114 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

The sixteenth century opened with very fair prospects 
for the papal dominion. The grievous commotions of 
the preceding centuries, occasioned by the efforts of the 
Waldenses, the Albigenses, the Beghards and others 
had been suppressed by cruel persecution or crafty ma- 
nagement. The Waldenses had been driven to the val- 
leys of Piedmont, and stripped of power and resources. 
And those Bohemians, who were dissatisfied with papal 
doctrines, from their ignorance and poverty, were in 
no condition to make attempts against the gigantic 
power of the pope. All was comparatively quiet in the 
streets of the great city. But this state of things, by pro- 
moting the corruption of the papists, only served to pre- 
pare the way for a general explosion. The popes and 
the clergy gave loose reins to their evil propensities, 
and sought the gratification of their lusts without re- 
straint. And the subordinate rulers and teachers of the 
church, eagerly followed the example of those at their 
head. Most of the bishops, and the canons their asso- 
ciates, led luxurious and jovial lives, in the daily commis- 
sion of open sins, and squandered upon their lusts those 
funds which preceding generations had consecrated to 
God, and the relief of the poor. The greater part of the 
priests, on account of their indolence, their unchastity, 
their avarice, their ignorance and their levity, were re- 
garded with utter contempt, not only by the wise and 
and good, but by the common people. The immense 
swarms of monks produced great grievance and com- 
plaint. Some of their orders had become wealthy by the 
liberality of preceding generations, and now they abused 
their wealth to the worst of purposes, regardless alike of 
the design for which the funds were given, and of their 
own rules and professions. The different orders of 
monks practiced the grossest impositions not only on the 
community at large, but upon each other. Among many 
of the base artifices by which they compassed their pur- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 115 

poses, the tragedy of Berne, as it is called, stands conspi- 
cuous, and may serve as an example. 

The Dominicans and Franciscans were engaged in a 
vehement controversy concerning the immaculate con- 
ception of the virgin Mary. The former denying, and 
the latter affirming the proposition respecting this sub- 
ject. A Dominican monk, named Wigand Wirt, preach- 
ing at Frankfort, A. D. 1507, so violently assailed the 
above mentioned doctrine, that he was summoned to 
Rome to answer for his conduct. His brethren of the 
Dominicans, at their convention at Wempfen, formed a 
plan to aid him, and to convince the world that the doc- 
trine of the immaculate conception was false. Berne was 
selected as the scene of their operations. The prior, sub- 
prior, preacher and steward of the Dominican cloister at 
Berne, undertook to get up miracles and revelations for 
the occasion. A simple hearted rustic, by the name of 
John Jetzer, who had just entered upon his noviciate in 
the monastery, was selected as their tool. The sub-prior 
appeared to him one night dressed in white, and pre- 
tended to be the ghost of a friar, who had been a hundred 
and sixty years in purgatory. He wailed greatly, and 
implored Jetzer to afford him some aid. Jetzer promised 
the aid to the extent of his ability, and the next morning 
reported the vision to his superiors. They encouraged 
him to go on, and to confer freely with the ghost, should 
he appear again. A few nights after, the ghost made his 
appearance, attended by two devils, his tormentors, and 
thanked Jetzer for the relaxation of his sufferings in con- 
sequence of his prayers and fastings. He also instructed 
Jetzer . concerning the views entertained in the other 
world respecting the immaculate conception, and the de- 
tention of some popes and others in purgatory, for having 
persecuted the deniers of that doctrine ; and further, he 
promised Jetzer that St. Barbara would shortly appear 
to him to give him particular instructions. Accordingly 
the sub-prior assumed a female garb on a succeeding 



116 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

night, and appeared to Jetzer as St. Barbara. She re- 
vealed to him some parts of his secret history, which the 
preacher, his confessor, had drawn from him at his con- 
fessions. Jetzer was completely duped. St. Barbara 
promised that the virgin Mary herself would next appear 
to him. Consequently she, or the sub-prior personating 
her, did so, and assured him that she was not conceived 
free from original sin, though she was delivered from it 
three hours after her birth, and that it was a grievous 
thing to her to see such errors spread abroad. She 
blamed the Franciscans much as the chief cause of this 
false belief. She also announced the destruction of the 
city of Berne, because the people did not expel the Fran- 
ciscans, and cease to receive a pension from the king of 
France. She appeared repeatedly and gave Jetzer much 
instruction. She promised to impress upon him the five 
wounds of Christ, which she declared were never im- 
pressed upon St. Francis or any other person. She 
accordingly seized his right hand, and actually thrust a 
nail through it. This was no vision, and the pain of the 
nail made Jetzer so restive, that she promised to impress 
the other wounds without giving him pain. The con- 
spirators now gave him medicated drugs, which stupified 
him, and then impressed the other wounds upon him 
while in a senseless state. Hitherto the sub-prior had 
been the principal actor. But now the preacher under- 
took to personate St. Mary. Jetzer, however, recognized 
his voice, and began to suspect the whole to be an impo- 
sition. All attempts to hoodwink him after this became 
fruitless, and he was in a short time completely unde- 
ceived. They now endeavored to bring him voluntarily 
to join the plot. He was persuaded to do so. But they 
imposed upon him such intolerable austerities, and were 
detected by him in such impious and immoral conduct, that 
he wished to leave the monastery. They would not let 
him go, and were so fearful of his betraying their secret, 
which was now drawing crowds to their monastery, and 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 11? 

promising them great advantage, that they determined to 
destroy him by poison. Jetzer, by listening at their door, 
obtained knowledge of the fact, and was so on his guard 
that they could not succeed, though they used a conse- 
crated host, or the bread in the sacramental supper as the 
medium of conveying the poison. At length Jetzer elo- 
ped from the cloister and revealed the whole transaction. 

The sale of indulgences became, in the beginning of 
this century, very extensive, and was a principal means 
of opening the eyes of the people to see the necessity of 
a reformation. And as this is a practice in which the 
papal church still persists, it will be proper to give a 
particular account of its origin and results. 

The origin of indulgences, says Schlegel, must be 
sought in the earliest history of the church. In the first 
centuries, such professors as were excluded from com- 
munion on account of their relapses in time of persecu- 
tion, or on account of other heinous sins, had to seek a 
restoration to fellowship by a public penance, in which 
they entreated the brethren to forgive their offence, stand- 
ing before the door of the church in a garb of mourning. 
This ecclesiastical punishment was sometimes remitted , 
and this remission was called indulgence. So that the 
original meaning of the term was merely the remission of 
the ecclesiastical penance or punishment imposed on the 
relapsed or other gross offenders. Had the practice ex- 
tended no farther, or had it been laid aside when the 
occasion for it ceased, it would have produced com- 
paratively little evil. But the practice was continued 
and extended. In process of time the doctrine was, that 
Christ had atoned for the eternal, but not the temporal 
punishment of sin. And the temporal punishment was 
divided into punishment in the present world, and that of 
purgatory in the future world. It was held that every 
man who would attain to salvation, must suffer the tem- 
poral punishment of sin, either in the present world, or 
in the flames of purgatory, and that the confessor to 



118 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

whom a man disclosed his sins, had power to adjudge 
this temporal punishment according to his own pleasure. 
The punishment thus inflicted generally consisted in 
fasting, pilgrimages, flagellations, &c. But among those 
who were subjected to such penalties were often persons 
of wealth and consequence, who had rather pay a 
large sum of money than submit to the penalty. In the 
case of such, substitutes were admitted, and these were 
generally monks, who for a sum of money would endure 
the penalty in behalf of the rich. Whoever, for exam- 
ple, was condemned to whip himself for a number of 
weeks, might, by the payment of a certain sum of money, 
obtain release from this penance, or the same purpose 
would be answered by the conveyance of a piece of land. 
At first they released only from the punishment of sin 
in the present world ; but in the fourteenth century, the 
release was extended to purgatory, and subsequently, as 
will appear in the sequel, the release was extended to all 
manner of crimes. Jesus, they said, had not removed 
all the punishments of sin. Those which he had not 
removed were either the punishment of the present world, 
that is, the penances which the confessors enjoin, or the 
punishments of the future world, that is, of purgatory. 
An indulgence, according to the original and professed 
object of it, frees from both these kinds of punishment. 
The first the pope remits by virtue of his office as sove- 
reign lord of the church. The other he remits by virtue 
of his prevalent intercessions with God, who can deny 
nothing to his vicegerent. Yet this release from the 
punishment of sin cannot, according to popery, be be- 
stowed for nothing. There must be an equivalent, that 
is, a sum of money given to the pope for pious uses. 
Temporal princes usually wait till their subjects petition 
for indulgence. But the vicegerent of Christ is more 
gracious, according to his own story, than all other 
princes, and offers his indulgences freely, that is to say, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 119 

freely for money enough, to the whole church, and to be 
proclaimed aloud to the whole Christian world. 

The sale of indulgences drew immense sums of money 
to the papal coffers, and liberally supplied all the ser- 
vants of the pope. He did not, indeed, sell these indul- 
gences himself. To this his dignity would hardly con- 
descend ; and besides, he could not always wait for the 
slow process of selling at retail. He therefore com- 
monly farmed out different provinces to those speculators 
who would give the highest price for them. There were 
rich merchants at Genoa, Milan, Venice, and Augsburgh, 
who would purchase the right of selling indulgences in 
certain provinces or kingdoms, for a stipulated number of 
years, and who would pay to his holiness a round sum 
as the present worth. The speculators would employ 
skilful agents, hawkers, and pedlars of these indulgences, 
persons whose boldness and impudence bore due propor- 
tion to the eloquence with which they imposed upon the 
people. And to give these indulgences greater credit 
and currency, it was pretended that popery had come 
into possession of a common stock or great bank of 
merit, derived from the extra piety of confessors, saints 
and martyrs, who had performed works of supereroga- 
tion, that is, more than the law or gospel demands. This 
stock of merit, it was pretended, had been accumulating 
for many years, till there was a superabundance, which 
was at the sole and entire disposal of his holiness, the 
pope ; and which he was authorized to dispense to them 
who paid him most liberally. In this way, not only 
ecclesiastical censures, not only temporal and purgatorial 
penance were remitted, but the pope and his servants 
finally assumed the power to forgive sins of every 
description. However papists, when pressed, may deny 
the truth of the preceding remark, it is abundantly 
capable of proof, that the pope did assume and pretend to 
forgive sins of every kind. That he is generally un- 
derstood by papists to take this ground, there can be no 



120 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

manner of doubt. When they obtain that pardon, or 
absolution, which the pope sells for money, they are 
satisfied ; they desire no other, the pope and his servants 
enjoin no other. Hence it is evidently understood by 
the great body of papists, that the indulgence or absolu- 
tion which they obtain from the pope and his servants 
for money, is all that they need. This is strong pre- 
sumptive evidence, that the pope does pretend to pardon 
all sin. But we have direct and conclusive proof of the 
remark in question, from some of the events which im- 
mediately preceded the reformation. The luxury and li- 
centiousness of the court of the pope had exhausted all 
his treasures, and rendered necessary special efforts to 
recruit the exhausted coffers, and support the holy father, 
with his corrupt instruments. No expedient promised 
to be more effectual than the sale of indulgences. Con- 
sequently, one John Tetzel, a Dominican monk, devoid 
of shame, on account of his peculiar impudence, was 
hired by Albert, archbishop of Metz and Magdeburgh, 
to engage in this business. This shameless declaimer 
conducted the business, not only in violation of all 
modesty and decency, but in a manner which detracted 
from the merits of Christ. The pope offered, as a pre- 
text for this new spiritual tax, the completion of the 
church of St. Peter, which had been begun by Julius II., 
and he appointed for his first commissary, Albert, arch- 
bishop of Metz and Magdeburgh, and margrave of 
Brandenburgh, who, from his own extravagance, was in 
great need of funds. Tetzel was employed as indul- 
gence agent, in Saxony. He was a man of great profli- 
gacy, and cried up his merchandize in a very disgusting 
manner. He claimed openly to have power from the 
pope to absolve, not only from the censures of the church, 
but likewise from all sins, transgressions and enormi- 
ties, however great they might be, even from those of 
which the pope only can take cognizance. He released 
from all the pains of purgatory, gave permission to 



HISTORY OP POPERY. 121 

come to the sacraments ; and more than this, he promised 
to those that purchased his indulgences, that the gates 
of hell should be closed to them, and the gates of para- 
dise or bliss be fully open. What more than this can 
be done, even by Deity? It is evident, then, that the 
pope has expressly claimed the prerogative to pardon 
sin, in the place of God, and that he is now understood 
as having this power by the great body of his followers. 
These claims, and this manner of asserting them, 
roused the spirit of Luther, and led to the glorious re- 
formation of the sixteenth century. The apparent still- 
ness with which the century commenced, was but the 
precursor of a tremendous earthquake, by which a third 
part of the city fell ; and by which we may hope, the 
way has been prepared for the fall of the whole system 
of papal corruption. And that the papists claimed for 
the pope the power to pardon sins of every kind, though 
frequently denied by them, was clearly demonstrated in 
the controversy with Luther and Tetzel. Luther admit- 
ted, then, that the pope had power to remit the human 
and temporal punishment for sin, or the punishment im- 
posed by the church ; but denied his right to absolve 
from the divine punishments, either of the present or 
future worlds. This latter punishment, he maintained, 
could be cancelled only by the righteousness of Christ. 
Tetzel, on the contrary, asserted that the pope could 
release even from divine punishment, and from those of 
the future as well as of the present life. To this doc- 
trine Luther made strenuous opposition, which resulted, 
as is well known, in shaking the throne of the pope to 
its foundation. The chancery regulations of the pope 
have been published by various authors, and from them it 
appears, that a Dean may be absolved from murder for 
twenty crowns. A bishop or abbot may, for three hun- 
dred livres, commit murder whenever he pleases. And 
for a third of that sum, any clergyman may violate the 
11 



122 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

law of chastity, under the most aggravated circumstances. 
These chancery regulations of popery were formerly 
published in a book, and circulated among the subjects 
of the pope. Claude Essence, a French popish divine, 
indignantly wrote concerning this book, as follows : 
" There is a book extant, which, like a venal prostitute, 
appears openly before the public here at Paris, and is 
now for sale, as it has long been, entitled, Taxes of the 
apostolic chancery, from which more crimes can be 
learned, than from all the writings concerning the vices, 
and in which license is offered to very many, and abso- 
lution promised to all purchasers. Provided money 
can be extorted," continues the same author, " every thing 
prohibited is permitted. There is almost nothing for- 
bidden, that is not dispensed with for money, so that, as 
Horace said of his age, the greatest crime a man can be 
guilty of is to be poor. Shameful to relate, they give 
permission to priests to have concubines, upon paying an 
annual tribute. And in some places they oblige every 
priest to pay this tax, saying, he may keep a concubine 
or not, as he pleases." From the book of apostolic 
chancery published at Rome, and by papal authority, the 
following examples of the popish tariff of crime are ex- 
tracted : " A layman murdering a layman, must pay a 
sum equal to about $1,25. For him to kill his father or 
mother, wife or sister, he must pay 1,75. For laying 
violent hands on a clergyman, so as that no blood be 
shed, he must pay $1,75." Thus it seems that to strike 
a priest, though the blow did not draw blood, was, in 
popish estimation, as great a crime as killing a parent, 
or a husband, or wife. For a priest to marry was a 
crime for which no money could atone , for this is not 
placed in the list of pardonable offences. But for a priest 
to keep a concubine, the penalty was $1,75. For license 
to eat flesh in lent, $1,75. With these facts in view, who 
can doubt that the pope claimed and exercised the right to 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 123 

pardon sins, even those of the most aggravated na- 
ture ? # 

These things prepared the way for the reformation. 
But as a history of popery is the present object, that 
blessed event will be passed in silence ; and the attention 
of the reader be directed to the feelings of papists in view 
of this event, and their consequent measures. 

When the papists perceived that Luther was in earnest 
in his appeals to the Scriptures, and his exposure of their 
corruptions, their rage was greatly kindled. The pope, 
in compliance with the pressing solicitations of his ad- 
visers, issued a bull against Luther on the 15th of June, 
1520, in which his tenets were condemned, his writings 
were adjudged to the flames, and he was commanded to 
confess his faults within sixty days, and implore the 
clemency of the pope, or be cast out of the church. 
Luther thought it expedient to withdraw himself from 
the papal communion before he was cast out, and for this 
purpose, he, on the 10th of December, 1520, caused a 
fire to be kindled without the walls of the city, and in 
the presence of a vast multitude of spectators, committed 
to the flames the bull issued against him, together with a 
copy of the pontifical canon law. By this act he signi- 
fied publicly that he would no longer be a subject of the 
pope, and consequently, that the decree of excommuni- 
cation which was daily expected from Rome would be 
useless. In less than a month, even on the 4th day of 
January, 1521, the second bull of the pope appeared, by 
which Luther was expelled from the papal church. In 
this event the genius of popery appears without dis- 
guise ; evidently it is a system that agrees with darkness 
rather than light, because it cast out of its bosom one of 
its own sons, for nothing but a resolute and persevering 
appeal to the Scriptures as the standard of religious truth. 

* Pope Leo X., on the 9th of November, 1518, published a special 
edict, in which he required all his subjects to believe that he had 
power to forgive sins, without any qualification. See Mosheim, 
Vol. HI. p. 2|. 



124 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

We have now arrived at the period of the final separa- 
tion of Luther and his followers from the papal church. 
The history of popery is therefore now to be pursued in 
distinction from that of the reformed communities. In 
these circumstances, popery, though it must of necessity 
be more circumspect and cautious in its external arrange- 
ments, and though it may appear somewhat circum- 
scribed in power and territory, aviII yet be found to be no 
less anti-christian in its spirit and aims. And as the sys- 
tem of popery had at this period reached its full maturity, 
it may not be amiss> in this place, to state some of its prin- 
ciples of organization. 

In the first place, in regard to the election of the pope, 
it was ordained that he should be chosen by a select 
number of the popish clergy. Six bishops in the neigh- 
borhood of Rome, fifty rectors or presbyters of Rome, 
and fourteen deacons of Romish hospitals, all of whom, 
on account of their eminence,, were called cardinals, (or 
chiefs) were the electors. When they assembled for the 
choice of a new pope, they were shut up in a kind of 
prison, called the conclave, that they might proceed more 
secretly and expeditiously in the execution of their trust. 
None, but a member of this conclave, and a native 
Italian, could be a candidate for the popedom. Nor 
could all the Italian cardinals claim eligibility to this 
exalted station. Various circumstances of birth, and 
manner of life, would exclude those who might other- 
wise have stood high on the list of candidates. Mor- 
over, the German Roman emperors, and the kings of 
France and Spain possessed, either legally or by custom, 
the right to exclude those whom they disapproved. 
Hence, there are not many among the cardinals that 
are payable, as the common phrase is, that is, so born, 
and in such circumstances that they can be invested with 
the dignity of pope. The methods of electing the pope 
in the conclave, are the following. 1. By scrutiny ; that 
is by ballot. A golden cup is placed upon the altar, into 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 125 

which each cardinal casts a sealed vote ; and to consti- 
tute an election, one candidate must have the votes of 
two-thirds of the cardinals. 2. By access. This method 
is resorted to, when a candidate has a plurality of votes, 
but not enough to secure his election by the former me- 
thod. Attempts are made to bring the cardinals, who at 
first voted differently to accede to the election of the most 
popular candidate. This opens a wide door for manage- 
ment and corruption. 2. By compromise. That is, when 
the conclave continues long in suspense, and cannot 
agree, the cardinals at last transfer their right of election 
to two or three of their number, and resolve to abide by 
their decision. 4. By inspiration. When the cardinals 
have become weary of their long confinement, sometimes 
one or more will clamorously announce an individual as 
pope, and a party in his favor previously organized and 
prepared, will so zealously join in the measure, that the 
conclave is overawed, and all opposition is at length 
swallowed up in the general acclamation. This might 
properly be stiled the election by mob, rather than by in- 
spiration. But the Italians are said to have a peculiar 
reverence for a pope chosen by inspiration, though they 
cannot but know that this is of all methods, the most dis- 
graceful. 

In the system of popery, the details of business are 
committed to the trust and management of certain classes 
of the pope's servants, called congregations, over which 
one or more cardinals preside. These congregations are 
properly boards of commissioners, meeting at stated times 
with full and definitive powers, within certain limits, to 
decide summarily all controversies, and to control and 
manage all business, that comes within their respective 
provinces. They have their own secretaries, keep re- 
cords of their proceedings, may send for persons and 
papers, call on professional and learned men for their 
opinions, and are bound in certain cases, to consult the 
pope before they come to a final decision. The number 
11* 



126 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

and specific duties of the several congregations vary 
from time to time, as the pope and his council see fit to 
ordain. Special congregations may be created by the 
pope, when occasion demands, which expire when their 
business is closed. In the year 1587, the pope established 
fifteen permanent congregations, composed, most of them 
of five cardinals, and none of them of less than three. They 
were, " 1. The congregation of the holy Inquisition ; or 
a supreme inquisitorial tribunal for the whole Christian 
world. In this court, the pope in person presided. 2. 
The congregation on letters of grace, dispensations, &c. 
The congregation on the erection, union, and dismem- 
berment of churches and bishoprics, &c. 4. The con- 
gregation for supplying the ecclesiastical states with 
corn, and preventing scarcity. 5. The congregation on 
sacred rites and ceremonies. 6. The congregation for 
providing and regulating a papal fleet, to consist of ten 
ships. 7. The congregation on the index of prohibited 
books. 8. The congregation for interpreting and exe- 
cuting the decrees of the council of Trent, excepting ar- 
ticles of faith. 9. The congregation of relief, in cases of 
oppression in the ecclesiastical states. 10. The congre- 
gation on the university of Rome, with a general inspec- 
tion of all popish seminaries. 11. The congregation 
on the different orders of monks. 12. The congre- 
gation to attend to the applications of bishops and other 
prelates. 13. The congregation on the roads, bridges, 
and aqueducts, of the papal territories. 14. The congre- 
gation for superintending the Vatican, or papal printing 
establishment. 15. The congregation on the applica- 
tions of all citizens of the ecclesiastical states, in civil and 
criminal matters." It may here be remarked, that 
though the court of Rome is really a political body r 
which is governed, in substance, like other kingdoms 
subject to despotic power, yet in its system, every part 
has a different name from that adopted by common usage. 
Thus, the ghostly king or despot, instead of being called 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 127 

king, czar, emperor or nabob, is called pope, (or father.) 
His ministers of state are called cardinals, instead of 
princes, dukes, lords, and chieftains. His ambassadors 
extraordinary, are called legates a latere, and those of a 
lower grade, apostolical nuntios. His chancery is called 
dataria; his boards of commissioners and judicatories, 
are called congregations ; his supreme court of justice is 
called the rota; and his counsellors of state are called 
officers of the rota. The government of the pope is there- 
fore nothing but a political despotism, under the garb and 
appellations of religion. It has no relation to Christiani- 
ty or the Christian church, except through the medium 
of perverted names and titles. 

Concerning the powers and prerogatives of this mock- 
spiritual despotism, its own subjects differ. And popery, 
though always manifesting a disposition to go to the ex- 
tent of its means and opportunities in assuming power 
and prerogative, is still sometimes modified by circum- 
stances. Where it cannot burn and destroy, it is obliged 
to be content with complaints and menace. Where it 
cannot reach to bite and devour, it must be satisfied with 
merely showing teeth. Like the tiger within grates, it 
can sometimes only gnash and growl. But its temper 
and pretensions are always the same. Thus Bunyan 
represents popery under the similitude of a giant called 
pope, who in latter days, that is since the reformation, 
could only sit in his cave and snarl at the pilgrims that 
passed by on their journey to Zion. From such circum- 
stances, it happens that the actual power of popery is not 
the same in all times and countries, though popery itself 
is invariable. The pope always claims, and all his true 
friends claim for him, the most absolute supremacy ; for 
his holiness contends, that not only all spiritual power 
and majesty reside in him alone, and are transmitted 
from him, in given portions to inferior prelates ; but that 
also his decisions made from the chair of popedom are 
infallible. This he claims in all situations, and this he 



128 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

would claim on the throne or the dunghill, And his 
rule is to carry these claims into effect just so far as he 
may possess the means and the opportunity. 

Popery lost, indeed, much of its ancient power and 
splendor, from the time that Luther and his coadjutors 
exhibited before the nations of Europe the native simpli- 
city and purity of true Christianity. Many opulent 
countries of Europe escaped from its thraldom under the 
light of the reformation, and its resources were thus 
greatly diminished. And even some of the kingdoms 
who do not choose wholly to abandon popery, have their 
views so corrected by the writings and discussions of 
protestants, that they will not submit to popery in all its 
former grossness. Still, where popery is unrestrained, 
it is still the same bitter enemy to all civil and religious 
liberty, the same destroyer of all social and spiritual 
happiness. The pope has still very extensive sway even 
in the kingdoms of Europe, and his resources and re- 
venues are far from trifling or scanty. The pope, 
through his priests and minions, commands the purses of 
some of the most wealthy potentates and kingdoms of 
Europe, and indeed of the world. Though the common 
people are always degraded by popery, and no cause tends 
so powerfully to multiply beggars, yet the pope and his 
clergy always make sure of the fleece. The pope has 
many clerical livings at his disposal, none of which are 
given away. In particular, he disposes of all the livings, 
whose incumbents happen to die at his court, and also 
the livings of those who die in what are called the pon- 
tifical months. So that it behooved those who had rich 
livings to take heed how they visited the court of the 
pope, and to guard against the malaria of the sacred 
months, lest some fatal catastrophe might happen to them. 
The pope also confirms the election of cathedral chapters 
by the spiritual founders, with his bulls of confirmation, 
which was a source of great gain to him. He also 
draws annates, or the incomes of the first year of incum- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 129 

bency in the sees of bishops and archbishops. Again, 
he exacts a certain sum for the badge of spiritual knight- 
hood in the ranks of popery, or for what is called the 
pallium of archbishops and bishops. This is a neck- 
cloth, which corresponds to the ribbon or garter of secu- 
lar knighthood, and is worn by distinguished prelates 
when they say mass, and on great occasions. And fur- 
ther, there are certain cases of crime reserved for the 
pope, in which no father confessor can give absolution or 
dispensation, and in which the granting of dispensations 
brings large revenues to the pope. Such, for example, 
as matrimonial cases, the relinquishment of the clerical 
office, and of monastic vows. And finally, the pope has 
power to impose taxes upon his clerical subjects, which 
are called subsidies. The monks also must pay an an- 
nual sum to the pope for his protection. Thus the pope 
in fact lives in great wealth and luxury, even since the 
reformation ; and his court, according to the testimony of 
recent travellers, is one of the most luxurious, effemi- 
nate, and dissipated, in the world. 

To repair the losses in its power and fortunes which 
popery had suffered from the reformation, it soon began 
to make great efforts to extend itself over different and 
distant nations. Its arms reached beyond the seas, and 
by means of its instruments, it began to embrace nations 
in the extremities of the earth. India, China, and Japan, 
felt its fatal gripe. The Abyssinians, the Copts in Egypt, 
and the South Americans, were also taken in its toils. 
But these conquests were in most cases achieved by means 
and instruments of a different kind from those which had 
in preceding ages been successful. That most effectual 
method of subduing heretics by crusades, being of neces- 
sity abandoned, on account of the enlightened state of 
Europe, other means became necessary for the safety of 
popery. The inquisition, it is true, in countries where 
it was permitted, still continued to inflict its tortures, and 
to convert heretics by fire and sword. But it became ne- 



130 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

cessary to regulate and fortify this tribunal with new re- 
gulation, lest the light which was dawning on the world 
should penetrate and demolish its strong holds. Colleges 
were erected, in which young men were trained by con- 
tinual practice, not in the knowledge of truth, or useful 
arts, but in the best method of defending popery. Books 
were prohibited, except such as had first past the ordeal 
of popish examination. But as the popes had controlled, 
enlarged, and defended their empire principally by means 
of the orders of monks ; and as the former orders, which 
had been most efficient, had by their indolence and vices 
lost their reputation, and become inert, it became neces- 
sary that some new order should be established, which 
would be wholly subservient to the papal interests, and 
make it their great object and care to recover, if possible, 
what had been lost, to repair what was injured, and to for- 
tify and guard what was yet in possession. Such a new 
society as the necessities of popery required was found in 
that noted and most active and pernicious order of monks, 
which, according to the policy of the popish despotism, 
assumed the name of Jesus, and was called the Society of 
Jesuits. 

The founder of this society was Ignatius Loyola, a 
Spanish knight, who was first a soldier and then a fana- 
tic. He was born in 1491. Trained up in ignorance 
and vice at the Spanish court, he early entered on mar- 
tial life. In defending Pampeluna he had a leg broken, 
and during his long confinement he amused, himself with 
reading romances. A Spanish legend of certain saints 
being put into his hands, led him to renounce the world 
and become a saint. He first visited the shrine of the 
virgin Mary, hung his arms on her altar, and devoted 
himself to her as her knight. He next went, as a pil- 
grim, to a certain hospital, and spent a year among the 
poor. He next set out for the holy land, but he went by 
the way of Italy, that he might obtain the blessing of the 
pope. After his return from Palestine he went to Paris 1 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 131 

where he found several young men of kindred spirit, 
who united with him in a kind of monastic association in 
1534. At first they had but seven, but soon after their 
number increased to ten. At length Loyola conceived 
the idea of forming a new peculiar order of monks. 
His companions came into the plan, and they applied to 
the pope to confirm their institution. This he did, with 
some limitations at first, but afterwards those limitations 
were removed. Loyola was chosen general of the order, 
and continued so until his death. The Jesuits hold an 
intermediate place between the monks and the secular 
clergy, and approach nearest to the order of regular ca- 
nons ; for while they live secluded from the multitude, 
and are under vows like monks, yet they are exempted 
from the most painful duties of monks, that they may 
have more time to devote to the active service of the pope. 
Indeed, this order was conformed to the spirit of the age. 
The spirit of inquiry and action was abroad among the 
protestants, and the whining cant of the mendicant monks 
would now excite nothing but ridicule and contempt. 
The Jesuits, therefore, found that the time which their 
predecessors had spent in pretended solitude and mortifi- 
cation, they must spend in action, in the instruction of 
youth, in writing books, and guiding the minds of their 
followers. The whole order was divided into three 
classes, viz., the professors, who live in houses of the 
professors ; the scholastics, who teach youth in their col- 
leges ; and the novices, who reside in houses especially 
erected for them. The professors, in addition to the 
three common vows of monks, are bound by a fourth, by 
which they engage before God that they will instantly go 
wherever the pope shall at any time bid them ; and they 
profess to have no revenues, but to live on the bounties of 
the pious. The other classes, especially the residents in 
the colleges, have very ample possessions. Compared 
with the other classes, the professors are few in number, 
and are generally men of prudence, skill, experience, and 



132 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

learning ; in a word, they are true and perfect Jesuits. 
The others are Jesuits only in a looser sense, and are 
rather to be considered assistants and associates. The 
mysteries of the society are imparted only to a few of the 
professors ; men of years, and of the most tried charac- 
ters. The rest are mere dupes. Popery, since the time 
of the reformation, owes more for its existence and re- 
sources to the single society of the Jesuits, than to all 
other means. This fraternity being spread abroad over 
the greater part of the world, confirmed those that were 
wavering, and restrained the progress of the heretics. 
It gathered into the number of the professed followers of 
the pope a great multitude from among the most distant 
nations ; it ingratiated itself into the favor of kings and 
princes ; and by an ingenious accommodation of the 
principles of the gospel and of morals to the propensities 
of men, or rather by converting the gospel to men, it 
made great numbers of converts, and obtained almost the 
sole direction of the consciences of kings and nobles, and 
every where most scrupulously guarded the interests of 
the pope from damage. All these circumstances pro- 
cured for the society immense wealth, resources, and the 
highest reputation. The prudence, or rather the cunning 
of the order, avoided all difficulty, and silenced all oppo- 
sition. They became, in the most unqualified sense, all 
things to all men ; and practiced, upon the largest scale, 
what Paul was accused by his enemies of doing — 
" Being crafty, they caught — with guile." The* secret 
instructions to the provincials, and to subordinate organs 
and members of the society, were totally unknown, for 
the most part, to any person, except those to whom they 
were addressed. The general rules and artifices by 
which individuals were to insinuate themselves into all 
places, and obtain for the society dominion and control 
over all persons and transactions, were among the mys- 
teries of the society. Two copies of them, however, the 
one larger and more minute than the other, were said to 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 133 

have been obtained, the first from a ship bound to the 
East Indies, and captured by the Dutch, and the other 
discovered in a certain college of the Jesuits. The ge- 
nuineness of these books has of course been constantly- 
denied by the Jesuits ; but the best evidence which the 
world has of their genuine character, is their corres- 
pondence with the visible conduct of the order. Ac- 
cording to these writings, nothing can be more crafty and 
void of all fixed moral principle, than the general policy 
of the Jesuits. The general of the order held his office 
for life, under certain limitations, and was to reside con- 
stantly at Rome, and had a select council to advise him, 
and to execute his orders. His authority over the whole 
order was absolute. He held despotic sway over every 
person, interest, and thing connected with the order. 
Nor was he accountable to any earthly power but the 
pope. Over each province is a provincial, whose power 
is equally despotic over his portion of the society. He 
must visit and inspect all the houses in his province, re- 
quire regular monthly returns to be made to him from 
every part of the province, of all that was transacted, 
learned, or contemplated, and he must make similar re- 
turns every three months to the general. Every person 
belonging to the order is thus continually inspected, and 
trained to implicit obedience, secrecy, and fidelity. The 
whole fraternity is like a regular army, completely offi- 
cered, trained to service, and governed by the will of one 
man, who stands at the pope's right hand. 

Among the means by which popery sought to extend 
itself against the pressure of the reformation in the six- 
teenth century, several societies or congregations at Rome, 
in addition to those already specified, ought not to be 
omitted. In 1522, was established the celebrated con- 
gregation for tjie propagation of the faith, commonly 
called the " popish propaganda" and furnished with very 
extensive revenues. This body consists of thirteen car- 
dinals, two priests, and one monk, together with a scribe, 
12 



134 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

and has for its object the support and the propagation of 
the faith in all parts of the world. Its revenues are such 
that it is able to make almost unlimited expenditures. 
Hence it sends out numerous missionaries to the most 
remote nations ; publishes books of various kinds, neces- 
sary for learning foreign and some of them barbarous 
languages ; maintains and educates a vast number of 
selected youth for missionaries, liberally educates young 
men sent to Rome from foreign countries, that they may 
become instructors of their countrymen on their return 
home ; takes up and provides for persons who have been 
banished for their constancy in defending the principles 
of popery, and plans and accomplishes various objects 
almost beyond belief to those not acquainted with their 
affairs. Devoted to its use, the institution has a very 
splendid and extensive palace, the delightful situation of 
which gives it exquisite charms. To this institution for 
propagating the faith, another was added in the year 
1527, not indeed equally magnificent, but yet renowned 
and efficient ; this was called the college or seminary for 
propagating the faith (i. e. popery.) In this seminary, 
young men from almost all countries, are educated to 
become teachers of popery in foreign countries, and are 
instructed and imbued thoroughly with the spirit of their 
work. This seminary was founded by the liberality of 
an individual, who gave all his property to the pope for 
this purpose. Many others afterward imitated this libe- 
rality and to this day imitate it. At first this seminary 
was managed by a special board of commissioners, con- 
sisting of three canons of the patriarchal churches at 
Rome. But since 1641 it has been under the control of 
the Congregation de propaganda fide. In 1563, the 
congregation of priests for foreign missions was insti- 
tuted by royal authority in France, and likewise the Pa- 
risian seminary for missions to foreign nations was 
founded by certain bishops and theologians, An which 
men might be educated and instructed to become preach- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 135 

ers of popery among heathen nations. From this semi- 
nary go forth, even to the present day, the apostolical 
vicars of Siam, Tonquin, Cochin China, the bishops of 
Babylon, and the apostolic vicars of Persia, and other 
missionaries to the Asiatic regions, and they derive their 
support from the ample revenues of the congregation 
and the seminary. But there has ordinarily been much 
contention between the common priests and the Jesuits 
about the prosecution of missions. The Jesuits pursue a 
course in making converts to their faith, or rather a pro- 
fession of their faith, which gives great umbrage to their 
rivals. It is alleged by the other popish missionaries, 
that the Jesuits instill into most of their proselytes, not the 
pure principles of popery, but a lax and spurious system ; 
that they connive at practices and opinions among their 
followers which are heathenish and profane ; that they 
amass vast riches by traffic and other unbecoming occu- 
pations ; that they are eager after worldly honor, and 
court the favor of the great by flattery and bribes ; that 
they involve themselves too much in the political con- 
cerns of nations, and frequently excite seditions and civil 
wars. These allegations, it must be confessed, are but 
too true. But papists are the last people in the world 
who should offer such charges against each other. It 
reminds the reader of what he has doubtless sometimes 
witnessed in one drunkard complaining of another for 
fear he would swallow all the liquor. The sentiments of 
the Jesuits respecting the conversion of the heathen were 
substantially as follows. 

" The Jesuits are of opinion that people sunk deep in 
superstition should be approached with art and policy ; 
and that they are to be led with a cautious and careful 
hand to embrace popery. Hence they explain and in- 
terpret the received and established doctrines of the pa- 
gans, — as for instance the precepts of Confucius in 
China, — in such a manner that they may seem to differ 
as little as possible from the doctrines of popery. And 



136 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

if they find any thing in the history or the religion of 
pagans, at all analogous to the faith and history of popery, 
they carefully apply it, to show how small the difference 
between the old and new religion. The rites and usages 
also which the pagans received from their progenitors, 
unless they are totally opposed to the rites and interests 
of popery, they tolerate ; and, either by changing the 
form a little, or referring the rites to a better motive than 
before, they easily accommodate the two systems to each 
other. The natural bias and propensities of the people 
they cherish to the utmost, and carefully avoid whatever 
is contrary to their inclination. The leading men they 
labor by all possible means, even by pious frauds, to se- 
cure and bring over to their party. They court the 
favor and friendship of those in power, by presents, by 
the cultivation of various arts, mathematics, medicine, 
painting, and also by counsel and assistance in difficulty. 
These things are looked upon by their rival associates, 
as tricks and artifice, unworthy of the professed ambas- 
sadors of Christianity." The above account may sa- 
tisfy the inquisitive mind of the reason why popery bears 
such a striking resemblance, in many respects, to pagan- 
ism, and in fact differs so little in its general aspects and 
influence from paganism, except in the name. The truth 
is, popery has always been intent on converting men to 
the pope rather than to Christ ; it has been more anxious 
to make its converts subservient to its own interests, than 
to lead them in the way of salvation. Hence the papal 
emissaries have not hesitated to concede to pagans every 
thing they wished respecting the principle and substance 
of their religion, provided, that in form and name, they 
would enlist under the pope. Thus popery has been 
gradually approximating to paganism, until it can scarcely 
be distinguished from the ancient superstitions of hea- 
then idolaters. As an example of the foregoing statement, 
respecting the manner in which the Jesuits prosecuted 
their missions, the case of Robert de Nabili may be ad- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 137 

duced. He became a Jesuit at the age of 20, and in the 
year 1606, he entered on a mission to India. Robert, 
early perceiving that the Hindoo caste was a powerful 
obstacle in the way of his success, he determined to turn 
this insurmountable obstacle into a powerful engine of 
converting the Hindoos. Having obtained the approba- 
tion of his plan from the archbishop of Cranganore, he 
assumed the habits and garb of a brahmin, shut himself 
up in a cell, avoided society, learned well the Tamul and 
Sanscrit languages, and studied the sacred books of the 
Hindoos; and then came forth, avowing himself to be 
a foreign brahmin, and a reformer of the corruptions of 
the brahminical religion. His learning and eloquence 
were generally admired, and he soon gained one brahmin 
to his popish brahminism, and then others, till the num- 
ber amounted to seventy. These suffered indeed some 
opposition from the ancient brahmins, and from the jeal- 
ousy of the other advocates of popery. Robert, however, 
continued his labors in converting the Hindoos to a new 
form of Hindooism for nearly half a century, until the 
number of his followers amounted to more than one hun- 
dred and fifty thousand. This he might call fighting the 
devil with his own weapons ; but if the result was only 
to convert men from one form of paganism to another, 
the devil would have no very serious objections to such 
a warfare, or such a victory. The policy of the Jesuits 
above stated, may be further illustrated by a considera- 
tion of the two great points of controversy, which for a 
time agitated the kingdom of popery, respecting the pro- 
per instruction to be given to converts from paganism. 

The first point in this controversy respected the wor- 
ship of God. The Chinese call the supreme God whom 
they worship Tien, and Shangti, that is, in their lan- 
guage, heaven. The Jesuits transferred this name to the 
God they professed to worship, and thus seemed to say 
that there was no difference between the God of the 
Chinese and the God of papists ; or that the Chinese at- 
12* 



138 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

tach the same idea to Tien, that Christians do to God, 
or Jehovah. But this is denied by the adversaries of the 
Jesuits, who aver, what is indeed very clear, that the 
Chinese understand by the words specified, merely the 
visible heavens, and are therefore idolaters. But the 
Jesuits found it for their interest to maintain the opposite 
opinion. They contend that these names were used by 
the ancient Chinese philosophers, who, they think, had 
just ideas of natural religion, to denote such a God as 
the bible reveals, and therefore that the Chinese terms 
in worship might with propriety be retained. They 
therefore allowed their converts to continue the use of 
the former terms of their worship ; nay, the Jesuits, in 
becoming all things to all men, and in accommodation to 
the feelings of their heathen converts, used these terms in 
their own worship. Thus they converted the Chinese, 
by joining, in fact, in their idolatry. 

The second point of controversy respected an ancient 
usage of the Chinese, in worshiping the souls of their 
departed ancestors. The laws of the Chinese require 
the people annually, at stated seasons, to honor their de- 
ceased ancestors with certain ceremonies, which appear 
to partake of religious homage. And besides, all the 
literati of the nation, at certain times, must pay a kind of 
worship, which appears to have a religious aspect, to 
Confucius, who is esteemed among them the father of all 
wisdom. Now the question is, whether this worship is 
to be considered as a civil or religious honor ; whether 
they are real sacrifices, or only ceremonies established for 
state purposes. The Jesuits aver, according to their 
governing policy, that these rites were instituted merely 
to keep the people in order, and preserve the tranquillity 
of the state. They maintain that the Chinese do not 
offer religious homage to their departed relatives, nor to 
Confucius ; but intend by these ceremonies to testify 
their grateful sense of the merits of their departed an- 
cestors, and of their great lawgiver. Hence they con- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 139 

elude that it is allowable for papal converts to observe 
these ancient rites of their country, provided they un- 
derstand the true nature and ground of them, and keep 
in view their object. If these reasonings are correct, 
it is to be regretted that the first Christian martyrs, under 
the emperors of pagan Rome, did not understand this 
policy of bringing Christianity and paganism to coalesce. 
For the same argument will apply to the rites of pagan 
Rome. Her idolatries were enjoined by public laws, 
and might therefore be considered as mere matters of 
state. And the early Christians, if they had regarded 
them in this light, might, by a compliance, have escaped 
the flames of martyrdom. Some of the more candid of 
the Jesuits are indeed so little satisfied with this plea, 
that they attempt to justify the practice on the ground of 
necessity and expediency. They say the advantages 
of the practice are so great, that the evils, if there are 
any, are not to be accounted evils. Thus much may 
suffice to exhibit the character and principles of the 
Jesuits, those emissaries of popery, who have under- 
taken to prop up its tottering foundation, and to defend its 
cause against the light of the present age. 

In the commencement of the seventeenth century, the 
abettors of popery made violent struggles to recover the 
territories which they had lost by the reformation. These 
attempts were made by force and arms. A war of per- 
secution began in the Austrian territories, which raged 
for thirty years, and proved exceedingly disastrous to 
Germany. The occasion of this war was as follows. 
Those who had renounced popery in the Austrian do- 
minions, were, in the beginning of the century, oppressed 
in various ways by their adversaries with impunity, and 
were divested of all their rights. Most of them had 
neither resolution nor ability to defend their cause, 
though guaranteed by the most solemn treaties and laws. 
The Bohemians alone, when they perceived it to be the 
fixed purpose of papists to deprive them of all liberty to 



140 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

worship God according to their own conscience, though 
that liberty had been purchased with immense expense 
of blood by their fathers, and but recently confirmed to 
them by royal charter, resolved to resist the enemies of 
their souls, force to force, and arms to arms. Therefore, 
having entered into a league, they ventured courageously 
to avenge the wrongs done to them and their religion. 
They went so far when opportunity offered, by the death 
of their former sovereign, as to elect for their sovereign, 
Frederick V. the electoral prince Palatine, who pro- 
fessed the reformed religion. But by this step, from 
which they expected security and peace in their religion, 
they brought ruin upon their king and themselves. And 
among other calamities, they suffered that which they 
most dreaded : the loss of a religion purged of popish 
corruptions. Frederick was vanquished, and became an 
exile. Many of the Bohemians were punished with 
imprisonment, banishment, confiscation of their property, 
and death ; and the whole nation, from that time forward, 
was forced to receive the religion of the conqueror, and 
obey the decrees of the pope. The papists, elated with 
this success, did not fail to take advantage of the oppor- 
tunity to display the genius of their religion. They 
were confident that the period had come, when they 
could either destroy the whole mass of heretics, or 
bring them again within the embrace of popery. They 
therefore carried fire and sword through a great part of 
Germany. In Hungary also, the citizens who were 
Protestants were tormented with various and innume- 
rable vexations and persecutions for ten years. Of the 
evils which they suffered from the Jesuits, there was 
neither measure nor end. In Poland, all that dissented 
from the pope, experienced, to their very great sorrow 
and distress, nearly through the century, that no compact 
limiting the power of popery was accounted sacred, or 
at all regarded at Rome. And so long as it shall remain 
the established belief at Rome, that God has given to the 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 141 

pope dominion over the whole Christian world, it can 
never be expected that those can remain in security who 
renounce that dominion. They will always be regard- 
ed as rebels, whom the lawful sovereign has a right to 
punish according to his pleasure, whenever he has the 
power and the opportunity. France and Spain were in 
this century completely subjected to the pope. And great 
efforts, devices, and plans, were put in requisition to 
bring the Britons under the papal yoke. And when the 
king of Britain, James I. espoused the cause of truth, 
the Jesuits determined, and actually attempted, to destroy 
him, his son, and the whole British parliament by gun- 
powder. The plot when ripe for execution, was most 
providentially discovered, and stands recorded on the 
page of history as a monument of the genius and ten- 
der mercies of popery. 

At length the wiser patrons of the popish cause, per- 
ceived that they gained little by violence and war, and 
they concluded that the reluctant minds of the protestants 
might more successfully be overcome by trick and arti- 
fice. But they were not agreed as to the precise course 
to be adopted. Some resorted to public disputations, be- 
tween distinguished men of the two communities, in- 
dulging an expectation that by such interviews, the more 
strenuous adversaries of papal supremacy might be 
either vanquished, or conciliated. Others thought that 
contests and disputes should be avoided, and that consul- 
tation under the name of compromise, should be attempt- 
ed. Others yet thought more vigorous and skilful at- 
tacks by means of argument should be the course. But 
all of these projectors had one object in view, which was 
to deceive and dupe the friends of truth, and not to recede 
in the least degree from the claims of popery. The plan 
of those who recommended compromise, and reconcilia- 
tion on that ground, was to persuade the protestants that 
there was no difference between the two parties, or that 
they did not disagree so much as they supposed. They 



142 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

alleged that there was not so much need of argumentation 
of the points at issue, as of a careful and perspicuous ex- 
planation of the doctrines of popery, which were of- 
fensive to their opponents. They claimed that the ad- 
vocates of popery were not understood, and that if a pro- 
per understanding could take place, all controversy 
would be removed, and all minds be united in the bonds 
of entire harmony. They therefore would discounten- 
ance all discussion as being divisory and polemic ; and 
their cry was peace, peace. For their hope was, that, if 
they could prevail on the protestants to lay aside discus- 
sion, the differences between them would speedily dis- 
appear, and the attention of the people being turned 
away from principles to appearances, the way would 
be prepared to draw back the ignorant aDd unwary to 
the toils of popery. And let this plea of popery be care- 
fully noted by all who are called to defend the truth 
against the inroads of error, of whatever kind. When 
the enemies of truth find the opposition too strong to be 
broken through by force of influence or argument, then 
they will always raise the treacherous cry of peace. 
" Come and let us meet together in the plains of ono," 
they say. They will pretend to agree in all import- 
ant points, with those whom they have before denounced 
and persecuted to the extent of their power. They will 
decry discussion as savoring of a warlike spirit, and cal- 
culated to make divisions. They are for peace, all for 
peace. But mark, the peace must consist in their having 
their own way. Error never is more dangerous than 
when it assumes this appearance. The plea is specious, 
and highly calculated to decoy weak and credulous 
minds. The principal man among those who endeavor- 
ed to draw protestants into this snare, was cardinal 
Richelieu, the politic minister of France, who spared no 
arts, persuasions, or threats, to bring the reformed back 
to the arms of popery. In more recent times, no one 
has entered on this course with more sagacity than 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 143 

James Benignus Bossuet, bishop of Meaux. He pub- 
lished an exposition of the popish faith, which tends ex- 
clusively to show, that a short and easy way would be 
open to protestants to return to popery, if they would 
only judge of it according to its nature and principles as 
it really is, and not according to the representations made 
of it by its enemies. This was very plausible, but ut- 
terly delusive. At first the pope and his friends alarmed 
at its apparent concessions, condemned the book, and 
several popish priests were severely handled for preach- 
ing its sentiments. But being satisfied at length, that 
its concessions were merely apparent, and that it was a 
true Jesuistical performance, the advocates of popery 
changed their opinion respecting the exposition. But 
archbishop Wake, a protestant prelate of England, took 
the publication in hand, and with decisive effect unmasked 
the perfidious sophistry of this performance. An ex- 
cellent answer to it was also given by M. de la Bastide, 
an eminent protestant divine of France. Of this answer 
Bossuet took no notice during eight years. At the end 
of that period, he published an advertisement in a new 
edition of his exposition, which was designed to remove 
the objections of la Bastide. But the latter replied with 
such a demonstrative and victorious argument, that the 
papal champion was driven from the field of controversy. 
After him, John Dezius, a Jesuit of Strasburgh, under- 
took to demonstrate the same thing, though with less 
success, in a book, in which he endeavors to prove 
that there is no disagreement, or but very Utile, between 
the council of Trent and the Augsburgh confession ; 
than which no two systems can be more unlike. At 
length Christopher de Roxas, bishop of Thina, came for- 
ward clothed with public authority, or professing to be 
so, and visited the principal courts in Germany, not only 
holding out the promise of a new and more free council 
than that of Trent, but also giving assurance, that the 
pope would freely grant to his returning children, the 



144 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

protestants, whatever privileges or immunities thev 
might demand, if they would cease to decline the very- 
mild government of the common father of Christians, 
the pope. But it was not difficult for the theologians 
and the more discerning laymen to discover that this 
was only a snare, and that the papal emissaries aimed 
not so much to effect an honorable peace, as to bring 
them back again under the ancient system of slavery. 
These perfidious peace-makers found some among the 
protestant divines, whose want of firmness and decision, 
or whose hope of obtaining favor and making their for- 
tunes, induced them to listen to these overtures, and to 
assert that the points in dispute were not of such mag- 
nitude as to shut out all hope of reconciliation. These 
medium men, as they would be esteemed, were at first 
very much applauded by the papists, but in the end they 
obtained the reward which awaits all double dealers and 
traitors, they offended both parties, and drew upon them- 
selves a great weight of odium. 

It may be proper here to subjoin some of the terms on 
which the popish peace-makers proposed to effect an 
union. These terms demonstrate the duplicity of the 
papists, as they offer either from worldly policy or in 
mere pretence, to abandon principles which are essential 
to their whole system. The terms offered by the bishop 
of Thina above mentioned, were as follows. 1. A sus- 
pension of the decrees of the council of Trent, and the 
assembling of a new council, in which the protestants 
and papists should have an equal number of votes, and 
the decisions of Trent undergo a new and impartial in- 
vestigation. 2. The acquittal of the protestants of the 
charge of heresy, if they would cease to call the pope 
anti-christ. 3. Communion in both elements ; mar- 
riage of priests, continuance in their possession of 
church property, abolition of auricular confession, and 
public worship in the vernacular tongue. In respect to 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 145 

the authority of the pope and tradition he was reserved. 
The archbishop of Mayence, after consulting the papists, 
made the following propositions to the protestants of 
Ratisbon ; viz. 1. That twelve protestant and twelve 
papal divines should meet together, swear to act honestly 
and in good faith, without fraud, or subterfuge, as they 
should answer it to God, 2. That they should examine 
the religious disputes and decide them according to the 
bible only. 3. That to enable them to agree, they should 
first make a new translation of the bible. 4. That what- 
ever a majority of them should agree to should be con- 
sidered as valid articles of faith. 5. That both the de- 
crees of the council of Trent, and the Augsburgh con- 
fession, should be examined article by article, and judged 
of by the scriptures'. As preliminary to this agreement 
it was proposed to yield, 1. Worship in the vernacular 
tongue. 2. Marriage of bishops and of secular clergy, 
but not of monks and nuns. 3. The abolition of auricu- 
lar confession in Germany and other protestant countries, 
except Spain and Italy, where for certain reasons, it was 
held necessary. 4. Every one to be at liberty to pray 
to the saints or not. 5. Purgatory no longer to be an 
article of faith. 6. Communion in both kinds to be al- 
lowed. 7. The pope no longer to be regarded as uni- 
versal judge, but only as the first priest or bishop of the 
church. Difficult questions of conscience are to be laid 
before him, but none shall be compelled to follow his de- 
cisions. 8. Christians hereafter to be divided into two 
classes, viz., ancient catholics, and reformed catholics, 
who should regard each other as brethren. Cardi- 
nals to be taken equally from both classes. These 
propositions were plausible, and could any expectation 
have been entertained that the papists would adhere to 
them, the case would have been different. But as no 
confidence could be placed in the declarations, professions 
or engagements of papists, the protestants rejected the 
proposals. But the question here is, how could papists, 

13 



146 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

with any consistency or honesty make such proposals 1 
If the things which they proposed to concede were 
wrong, they ought of course to be abandoned, whether 
protestants would concede any thing or not. And if 
these things were right, and as the papists profess to 
consider them, essential truths, the denial of which is 
damnable heresy, how could they, in any conscience, 
compromise them. The very things which they offer to 
concede, are the things for the denial of which, heretics 
(as they call them) have been burnt by hundreds. Take 
the doctrine of purgatory for example. It is either true 
in the estimation of papists, or it is not. If it is true 
and matter of their sincere belief, how can they agree 
that it shall no more be a doctrine of their creed? And 
if it be not true in their estimation, how can they teach it 
and make it an essential article of belief? Here is a 
dilemma, and take hold of which horn they please the 
papists are lacerated. So of the marriage of priests. It is 
either wrong or it is not. If it be wrong, how could 
they concede to practice and countenance that which is 
wrong ? And if it be not wrong how dare they forbid 
it, and pronounce those accursed who practice it ? In a 
word, is it not perfectly manifest, from these proposals, 
that papists, at least their leaders and teachers, have no 
confidence in their own system ; that they consider it a 
mere pageant, to answer temporal and political purposes, 
a mere nose of wax, to be moulded and shaped as cir- 
cumstances require ? 

In the preceding century a violent contest had arisen 
concerning divine grace in the salvation of men. Lewis 
Molina, a Spanish Jesuit, in a book which he published 
on the union of grace and free will, endeavored to clear 
up, in a new manner, the difficulties in the doctrines con- 
cerning grace, predestination, and free will, and in some 
sort to reconcile the discordant opinions of Augustine, 
Thomas Aquinas, the semi-Pelagians and others. The 
fundamental principles of the work of Molina are thus 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 147 

stated. 1. A reason or ground of God's predestination is 
to be found in man's right use of his free will. 2. That 
the grace of God, which is bestowed to enable men to 
persevere in religion, may become the gift of perse- 
verance, it is necessary that they be foreseen as consent- 
ing and co-operating with the divine assistance offered 
them, which is a thing within their power. 3. There 
is a mediate prescience (scientia media) which is neither 
the free nor the natural knowledge of God, and by which 
he knows future contingent events, before he forms his 
decree. Molina divided the knowledge of God into na- 
tural, free and mediate, according to the objects of it. 
What he himself effects or brings to pass by his own im- 
mediate power, or by means of second causes, he knows 
naturally. What depends on his own free will, or what 
he himself shall freely choose or purpose, he knows 
freely. But what depends on the voluntary actions of 
his creatures, that is, future contingences, he does not 
know in either of the above senses, but only medi- 
ately, by knowing all the circumstances in which those 
free agents will be placed, what motives will be pre- 
sented to their minds, and thus inferring how they will 
act and what they will do. This he calls God's scientia 
media, on which he forms his decrees and election. 4. 
Predestination may be considered as either general or 
particular. General, when it relates to whole classes of 
persons ; particular, when it relates to individuals. In 
general predestination, there is no reason or ground 
of it beyond the mere good pleasure of God, or none on 
the part of the persons predestinated. But in particular 
predestination, there is a cause or ground of it, in the 
foreseen good use of free will. Thus it appears that 
Molina embraced the leading principles of the semi-Pe- 
lagians, or the Arminians. And his scientia media, was 
only a new name for an old error, which makes God a 
mere spectator of his works and creatures. After some 
years of consultation, and attention to the arguments of 



148 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

the Dominicans and Jesuits on these subjects, the board 
of select theologians, to which the decision was committed, 
signified to the pope, not at all obscurely, that the doc- 
trine of the Dominicans, respecting grace, predestination, 
man's ability to do good, and the inherent corruption of 
our nature, were more consonant with the holy scriptures 
and the opinions of the fathers, than those of Molina, 
whom the Jesuits supported ; that the former accorded 
with the sentiments of Augustine, the latter came near to 
those of Pelagius, which had been condemned. And, in 
the year 1601, the pope seemed ready to pronounce sen- 
tence in favor of the Dominicans. But the Jesuits, who 
perceived their cause to be in imminent peril, so harassed 
the aged pope, sometimes with threats, sometimes with 
complaints, and sometimes with arguments, that the next 
year he resolved to give the subject a re-hearing, and to 
assume himself the office of judge. For three years the 
pope presided over this trial, having for assessors, fifteen 
cardinals, nine theologians, and five bishops, and he held 
seventy-eight sessions, or congregations, as they were 
called, at Rome, in which he listened to the arguments 
of the parties, and caused them to be carefully weighed. 
To what result he came is uncertain, for he was cut off 
by death when about to pronounce sentence. But the 
divisions, thus about to be healed, were torn open again, 
when in 1640, a book of Cornelius Jansenius was pub* 
lished under the title of Agustinus. In this book, the 
author of which is allowed, even by the Jesuits them- 
selves, to have been a man of solid learning, and appa- 
rently devout, the opinions of Augustine, respecting the 
native depravity of man, and the nature and influence of 
that grace by which only this depravity can be cured, 
are stated and explained, and for the most part, in the 
very words of Augustine. For it was not the object of 
Jansenius, as he informs us, to show what ought to be 
believed on these subjects, so much as to show what Au- 
gustine thought. But as the doctrines of Augustine dif* 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 149 

fered but little from those of Thomas Aquinas, which 
were embraced by the Dominicans, and were accounted 
almost sacred and divine among papists, on account of 
the high merits of the author, and at the same time were 
almost totally opposed to the common sentiments of the 
Jesuits ; this work of Jansenius could not but appear to 
them as a silent, but most effectual confutation of their 
sentiments. Hence the Jesuits soon took the alarm, and 
attacked the new publication without mercy. They also 
endeavored to instigate the pope against it. The alarm- 
ing book soon felt the weight of Jesuistical influence. 
First the inquisition took it in hand, and prohibited its 
being read. Then the pope issued his condemnatory 
sentence. But these things on the part of the Jesuits did 
not pass without observation and resistance. The doc- 
tors of Louvain, and the numerous admirers of Augustine 
in the low countries, opened the opposition. Speedily it 
spread into France, where many of the able and devoted 
men were strongly enlisted on the side of the Augusti- 
nian creed, and were of course the advocates of Jansenius. 
Especially was John du Verger de Hauranne, an inti- 
mate friend of Jansenius, and a man of an accomplished 
and elegant mind, and no less respected by the purity of 
his morals and the sanctity of his life, than for his erudi- 
tion, considered the champion of the Jansenian system. 
This man had inspired a number around him with an 
attachment to Augustine, and an abhorrence of the Je- 
suits. And though the Jesuits could boast the greatest 
numbers, their opponents had the decided advantage in 
talents and piety. Thus commenced the great contro- 
versy of the seventeenth century, between the Jesuits and 
the Jansenists, which continued with great efforts for a 
century and more. 

In the eighteenth century, the papists propagated the 

Christian name in different parts of the world. The 

Christian name — not the Christian religion. For it is 

evident that most of those whom the papal missionaries 

13* 



150 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

persuaded to forsake idolatry, are Christians only in 
name s and in respect to certain forms and ceremonies. 
They never quit their superstition, but only exchange one 
form of it for another. Large congregations of such nomi- 
nal Christians were gathered in the East Indies, espe- 
cially in the kingdom of the Carnatic, Madura, on the 
coast of Malabar and in China, Tonquin, and other dis- 
tant regions. But these missionaries, so far from effacing 
the former stain upon the character of the Jesuit preach- 
ers, rather deepened it. For they are represented as 
seeking their own honor and emolument, rather than the 
interests of Christ, and as ingeniously corrupting the 
holy religion of the Saviour to obtain the more proselytes. 
The famous question, whether the Jesuit missionaries 
in China acted consistently among that people, so ex- 
ceedingly attached to their ancient customs, was decided 
in the commencement of this century, in a manner ad- 
verse to the Jesuits. For the pope declared it criminal 
for the new converts to practice the rites of their pagan 
ancestors ; especially those rites by which the Chinese 
do homage to their ancestors and to Confucius. At 
least this was the decision of the pope at first. But with 
h at consistency and uniformity for which popery is re- 
markable, he afterwards altered and mitigated this de- 
cision to satisfy the Jesuits, till it was nearly abolished. 
The final decision w T as, that the teachers of the Chinese 
were allowed to designate the divine nature by the word 
Tien, provided they added the word Tchu, to remove the 
ambiguity of the former term. Thus it would stand, the 
Lord of heaven, and not heaven itself. The pope also 
allowed those rites to be practiced which gave so much 
offence to the adversaries of the Jesuits, provided all super- 
stition and appearance of religion were avoided. Which is 
the same as to say they might be idolaters, if they would 
avoid all idolatry. This paradox, the Chinese converts 
would of course interpret according to their own inclina- 
tions. The Chinese converts, therefore, feel themselves 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 151 

allowed to keep in their houses tablets on which are 
written, in gold letters, the names of their ancestors and 
of Confucius. They may lawfully honor them with 
lighted candles, with incense, and with tables set out 
with all manner of spices, fruit, and viands. They may 
address these tablets, and the graves of their ancestors as 
suppliants, prostrating themselves on the ground, and yet 
be good and consistent papists. Such was the decision 
of the pope in the case. 

The reconciliation of protestants to papists seems, in 
this century, to have been abandoned. Former attempts 
of this kind were made chiefly on the ground of ex- 
plaining away or softening down the most offensive 
doctrines of popery. But pope Clement XI. deprived 
the peace-makers of this subterfuge by publishing that 
famous decree, called Bull Unigenitus. This decree 
shows most clearly, that on most of the points which 
compelled the protestants to separate from popery, it re- 
mains the same that it has been, and that thus it must be 
expected to remain. This disclosure being made, it be- 
came manifest, that those who had formerly offered peace 
on very easy and conciliatory terms, had only spread a 
net by their pretended expositions of the papal faith, and 
that no confidence at all was to be reposed in the word 
of such men. 

The intestine discords which greatly disquieted the 
papal community in the preceding century, so far from 
being composed and healed, were in this century revived 
with new strength, and urged with greater animosity. 
The Jesuits still contended with the Dominicans and 
others, though more covertly, and with more external 
decorum. The Franciscans, also, and the Dominicans, 
continued at variance. But the principal controversy 
which shook the papal empire, was that of the Jansenists 
with the Jesuits. Of the former party, Q,uesnel was the 
chief advocate. He translated the New Testament into 
French, and accompanied it with notes which were cal- 



152 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

culated to awaken a sense of religion. To destroy the 
influence of this formidable enemy, the Jesuits besought 
the king of France to solicit its condemnation by the pope. 
The pope was obsequious to the French king, and issued 
the Bull Unigenitus already mentioned. The most 
violent contests were produced by this unhappy edict. 
Many of the bishops, and a vast number of influential 
and learned men, both among the clergy and laity, ap- 
pealed from it to a future general council. Especially 
the archbishop of Paris manfully opposed it, regardless 
of the resentment both of the pope and the king. The 
popes, kings, and Jesuits, labored incessantly to prostrate 
these strenuous defenders of the religion of their fathers. 
They were visited with all manner of punishments and 
indignities, until they were at length in a measure over- 
come. Many became exiles, and retired to Holland; 
others were overawed to approve of the papal bull ; and 
others, being deprived of their livings, their honors, and 
their offices, removed to foreign countries. The victory 
of the Jesuits was so complete, that this papal bull was 
finally declared to be the law of the land. Amidst these 
calamities, the Jansenists had two resorts for supporting 
their cause against their enemies, viz., the press and mi- 
racles. They did not fail to pour upon the pope and the 
Jesuits the influence of the press. Their publications 
were written with ability and elegance, and produced a 
powerful effect. And when human strength failed, they 
called in divine aid in the form of miracles. They per- 
suaded the people that God had imparted to the bones and 
ashes of certain persons distinguished for their zeal in 
the cause of Jansenism, and who had appealed anew, in 
their last moments, to a general council, the power of 
healing the most inveterate diseases. Among those who 
had attained to this glory, the most distinguished was 
Francis de Paris, a deacon of the church in Paris, a 
man of noble birth, but of gloomy temperament, and ex- 
cessive superstition, and one who had brought on his own 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 153 

death by refusing food. To miracles, divine visions were 
superadded. Many persons, especially at Paris, pre- 
tended to be influenced by the Holy Spirit, and uttered 
predictions, often of the' most ridiculous kind, by which, 
nevertheless, the multitude, as usual, was vastly affected. 
These events may serve to illustrate that unity and uni- 
formity of popery which is so much boasted of by her 
advocates, and may show on how little of truth their 
statements and pretensions are founded. Thus concludes 
the regular historical narrative of popery from its origin 
to the close of the eighteenth century. Thus have we 
seen the rise, progress, maturity, and fruits of this mys- 
tery of iniquity, this scourge of the human race. It 
arose from temporal prosperity, was fostered by earthly 
possessions, and is consummated in sensual gratifications, 



SECTION VI. 

DOCTRINES OF POPERY. 

The proper source to which to resort for correct in- 
formation respecting the doctrines of popery, is found in 
the decrees of the council of Trent. At the diet of Spise, 
held in 1542, it was agreed that a council should be 
holden in the city of Trent. A bull was accordingly 
issued, summoning the prelates of the Christian world to 
convene at Trent the following November. But circum- 
stances were adverse, the council failed to convene at the 
time appointed, and was postponed. At the diet two 
years after, the affairs of religion were seriously dis- 
cussed, and a general council, as the only measure cal- 
culated to answer the exigencies of the times, was again 
urged. Nothing could exceed the grief of the pope on 
this occasion. That any thing like equality of rights 
should be granted to heretics, and that a German diet 
should presume to legislate in regard to religious mat- 



154 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

ters, without the concurrence of the pope, the head of the 
church, was an intolerable innovation. In a long and 
indignant letter, his holiness the pope reproaches the 
emperor with this conduct. He complained " that lay- 
men and even heretics had been permitted to meddle with 
spiritual things, the exclusive province of the priesthood, 
and that in referring their disputes and grievances to a 
council, they had not so much as mentioned the successor 
of St. Peter, to whom only the right of convening such 
an assembly belonged. It resembled the sin of Uzzah, 
Dathan, Abiram, Korah, and Uzziah. The judgments 
of God would fall upon him unless he revoked the de- 
cree. By such conduct he had not only endangered the 
peace and unity of the church, but also exposed his soul's 
salvation to imminent peril." So unwilling was the pope 
to have any council called, or the affairs and doctrines of 
the church subjected to any scrutiny. But when the 
emperor and the king of France made peace, and the 
subject of a general council began again to press, and 
became unavoidable, the pope, to make a virtue of neces- 
sity, did not wait for a request which was coming, but 
issued a bull summoning the princes and prelates of Eu- 
rope to meet in general council at Trent, March 15, 1545. 
Many expectations were raised on this occasion. The 
reformed churches, indeed, could not hope for much from 
a council. They saw the corruptions of popery to be 
too deeply seated to be removed by such a superficial 
application. They therefore did not calculate much on 
the effects of this movement, and they were not disap- 
pointed. It turned out to be a manoeuvre of popery. 
But those who had been less observant of the nature of 
popery, had very exalted hopes from this council. The 
sovereigns and states of Europe looked to this assembly 
with sanguine expectations. They resolved to exert all 
their influence to procure a thorough reformation of 
abuses. Then they expected that protestants would 
cheerfully return to the bosom of the church, and restore 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 155 

harmony. The different orders of papal priesthood also 
hoped to have their respective interests placed on a better 
foundation. But the pope had very different views from 
all these. Having been compelled by circumstances to 
call this council, he now was intent to find the means of 
managing it to his own mind. He resolved to concede 
nothing, and to permit no change, unless for the advance- 
ment of his own power and affluence. Protestants, pre- 
lates, princes, and kingdoms, must all be duped and cir- 
cumvented, and they were completely. 

The beginning of the pope's management in the coun- 
cil was the appointment of three of his own legates to 
preside. They were furnished with a secret bull to 
remove the council to any other place whenever they 
should find occasion. On the 13th of December, 1545, 
the council of Trent was opened with all due solemnity. 
The pope, to secure a commanding influence in the coun- 
cil, and to prevent all intermeddling with his prerogative, 
appointed a congregation or committee of cardinals to 
superintend the affairs of the council, to watch its pro- 
ceedings, and to aid him with their advice. The legates 
of the pope were instructed to begin with the discussion 
of disputed doctrines, and to put off the reformation of 
abuses, as a matter of secondary importance. Notes 
were to be taken and transmitted to him of any remarks 
or allusions touching his court, the reform of which he 
claimed for himself. To all letters and documents his 
own name, and those of the legates were to be prefixed, 
that it might appear that he was not only the author, but 
the head and ruler of the council. He also appointed the 
secretary, and other necessary officers, without consulting 
the members of the council, or permitting them to exer- 
cise their right of election. 

The Council of Trent, therefore, was wholly under 
popish influence, and the foregoing circumstances have 
been recited to show this fact, and that consequently the 
decrees of this council are to be received as the accre- 



156 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

dited sentiments and belief of papists universally. The 
Protestants who were invited to this council early per- 
ceived the situation of things, and retired from the 
council, or declined attending, and protested against its 
authority as a general council, representing the universal 
church. The papists, therefore, had no obstacle thrown 
in their way, and they proceeded to set forth their doc- 
trinal sentiments in the following manner, viz : 

1. The Scriptures as a rule of faith. 

In the debate which occurred in the council on this 
point, one of the papists did not hesitate to say, that the 
scholastic divines had so well expounded the doctrines of 
Christianity, that it was no longer necessary to take 
them from the sacred volume ; and that though the 
Scriptures were formerly read in the churches for the 
instruction of the people, they were now only used in 
the devotional exercises of public worship, and ought to 
be confined to that use ; and that at any rate, the study of 
Scripture ought to be prohibited to all who were not 
versed in scholastic divinity. For the Lutherans, he 
said, had succeeded only with those who had been accus- 
tomed to read the Scriptures. The decision of the coun- 
cil on this subject, was, as might have been expected, not 
in favor of free inquiry. The decree was divided into 
two parts. The first part, after placing oral tradition on 
the same level with the written word, in the following 
terms : " Perceiving that this truth, (i. e. revealed truth,) 
and discipline are contained both in written books, and 
unwritten traditions, which have come down to us, either 
received by the apostles from the lips of Christ himself, 
or transmitted by the hands of the same apostles, under 
the dictation of the Holy Spirit, following the example of 
the orthodox fathers, this council doth receive and reve- 
rence with equal piety and veneration, all the books, as 
well of the old as of the new testament, the same God 
being the author of both ; and also the aforesaid tradi- 
tions, pertaining both to faith and manners, whether 



HI8T0RY OF POPERY. 157 

received from Christ himself, or dictated by the Holy 
Spirit, and preserved in the catholic church by continual 
succession ;" and after having enumerated the canonical 
books of the scriptures, including the apocrypha, con- 
tains the following denunciation : " Whoever shall not 
receive as sacred and canonical, all these books and every 
part of them, as they are commonly read in the catholic 
church, and are contained in the old vulgate Latin 
edition, or shall knowingly and deliberately despise the 
aforesaid traditions, let him be accursed." The second 
part of the decree relates to the right of interpreting the 
scriptures, and of printing and circulating the sacred 
books, and is as follows : "In order to restrain petulent 
minds, the council further decrees, that in matters of 
faith and morals, and whatever relates to the maintenance 
of Christian doctrine, no one, confiding in his own judg- 
ment, shall dare to wrest (i. e. to interpret) the sacred 
scriptures to his own sense of them, contrary to that 
which has been held, and still is held by holy mother 
church, whose right it is to judge of the true meaning 
and interpretation of sacred writ, or contrary to the 
unanimous consent of the fathers ; even though such 
interpretations should never be published. If any dis- 
obey, let them be denounced by the ordinaries, and 
punished according to law. Being desirous also, as is 
reasonable, of setting bounds to the printers, who, with 
unlimited boldness, supposing themselves at liberty to 
do as they please, print editions of the holy scriptures, 
with notes and expositions taken indifferently from any 
writer, without the permission of their ecclesiastical su- 
periors, and that at a concealed and falsely designated 
press, and, which is worse, without the name of the 
author — and also rashly expose books of this nature to 
sale in other countries ; the holy council decrees and 
ordains, that for the future, ihe sacred scriptures, and es- 
pecially the old vulgate edition, shall be printed in the 
most correct manner possible ; and no, one shall be per- 
14 



158 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

mitted to print or cause to be printed, any books relating 
to religion .without the name of the author. Neither 
shall any one hereafter sell such books, or even retain 
them in his possession, unless they have been first 
examined and approved by the ordinary, under penalty 
of anathema, and the pecuniary fine adjudged by the last 
council of lateran. Those who circulate such books in 
manuscript, without being examined and approved, shall 
be liable to the same penalty as printers, and those who 
possess or read them, unless they declare the authors of 
them, shall themselves be considered as the authors." 

The foregoing decrees of the council were received 
by the protestants with unassembled grief and indigna- 
tion. They were greatly offended at the presumption of 
a council so inconsiderable in numbers, and containing 
so few men of talent and learning. To place tradition 
on an equality with scripture, was in their view an act of 
daring impiety. They were also surprised to hear that 
several books, such as the apocrypha, Avhich had ever 
been regarded, at best, as of doubtful authority, and had 
only received the sanction of some provincial councils, 
and of two or three popes, should now, without adequate 
examination, be ranked among the acknowledged writings 
of inspired men, and constituted portions of the sacred 
volume. Great astonishment also was excited too, at the 
decision respecting the vulgate ; in which decision that 
translation, though confessed to abound with errors, was 
made the authoritative and sole standard of faith and 
morals, to the exclusion of the Greek and Hebrew scrip- 
tures. It appears, indeed, sufficiently evident, that 
papists have a great dread of the word of God, as it 
stands on the pages of inspiration ; for they have taken 
great pains to fence it in so that no harm shall come 
from it. In the first place they adopt the vulgate, which 
is a Latin translation made by Jerome, and which is far 
from correct. This, because it suits their purpose best, 
they declare to be the bible. And they add to this the 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 159 

apocrypha, for the translator of the vulgate declares them 
not to belong to inspired books. Then they place the 
printing and distribution of this bible of their own adop- 
tion under the eye of superiors and ordinaries, who are 
to examine and license. And after all, no man must 
read even this bible and understand it for himself. He 
must still go to tradition and the holy mother church, 
that is, to the crafty priesthood, to know what meaning 
to give the sacred writings. And as the meaning is the 
thing and the whole of it, the result of the whole is, that 
the papist, though he may have a bible and read it, so far 
as the book and the words are concerned, must still go 
to his priest for the sense. In effect, then, he goes to his 
priest for his bible. Surely, no wild beast of prey was 
ever better guarded with bolts and bars, than is the bible 
among papists. And yet after all this caution, the papists 
find it most safe, as we shall presently see, to keep the 
bible, in every form, as much as possible from the hands 
of the people. But tradition, we see, has an important 
place in the decree of Trent. And well it may, for this 
tradition is of no small consequence to the papist. It is 
a kind of magic wand, by which he instantly sweeps 
away all evidence, argument, or objection. Where the 
scripture is silent, tradition comes in to fill the space. 
Say of any superstition, this is not authorized by the 
word of God, and the papist at once replies, it is tradi- 
tion received from the apostles. This any one can say, 
though no one can prove it. This, as all discerning 
minds will perceive, is a crafty device, by whieh the au- 
thority of scripture is absolutely nullified. The ancient 
scribes and pharisees made void the law of God by their 
traditions, and they went on the same ground precisely 
with the papist. They taught that the written word must 
be interpreted according to tradition. In other words, 
tradition is the oracle, the final tribunal. Who does not 
see, that it were easy to invent and propagate vain tradi- 
tions suited to any occasion ? And who does not know 



160 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

that no credit is due to tradition coming down through 
many generations, with no voucher for its authenticity, 
but the treacherous memory of men, even if they de- 
signed to be honest. Any one, then, who gives heed 
to these fables as his guide in spiritual things, must be 
out of all love for the truth, and regard to his own im- 
mortal interests. 

But the papists not only garble and coerce the scrip- 
tures by their incorrect versions, and the supervision of 
priests and tradition ; they are averse to the circulation 
or reading of the scriptures in any shape or manner. 
They regard the study of the scriptures as a kind of 
moral pestilence, which threatens destruction to their 
whole system. A genuine papist would as soon take up 
a serpent as a bible, and he would as soon swallow poison 
as to read or hear it. A few facts on this point may be 
seasonable. 

Concerning the British and Foreign Bible Society, 
whose object was to circulate the holy scriptures without 
note or comment, pope Pius VII., in the year 1816, 
says, " It is a crafty device, by which the very founda- 
tions of religion, (i. e. popery) are undermined. A pes- 
tilence and defilement of the faith most dangerous to 
souls." Leo XII., in 1824, speaking of the same insti- 
tution, says, " It stroles with effrontery through the world, 
contemning the traditions of the holy fathers, and, con- 
trary to the well known decrees of the council of Trent, 
labors with all its might, and by every means, to trans- 
late, or rather to pervert the holy bible into the vulgar 
languages of all nations. From which proceeding it is 
greatly to be feared, that what is ascertained to have hap- 
pened to some passages, may also occur with regard to 
others ; to wit, that by a perverse interpretation, the 
gospel of Christ be turned into a human gospel, or what 
is still worse, into the gospel of the devil." The popish 
priests in Ireland, to whom this was written, publicly 
avowed their full concurrence with these views of the 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 161 

pope, and charged their flocks to surrender to the parish 
priests all copies of the scriptures received from bible 
societies, as well as all publications disseminated by the 
religious tract society. These are late transactions. And 
if we go farther back in the course of events, we find the 
case no better. The translation of the New-Testament 
in French, by Q,uesnel, with notes and moral reflections, 
has been already mentioned. Against this, Clement 
XI. launched the bull, called Unigenitus. In this bull 
the pope condemns certain propositions drawn from the 
above book, as "false, captious, shocking, offensive to 
pious ears, scandalous, rash, pernicious, seditious, im- 
pious, blasphemous." And what was it, the reader will 
be ready to ask, that called forth this wordy flood of de- 
nunciation ? Why, father Quesnel presumes to say that 
" it is useful and necessary, at all times, in all places, and 
for all sorts of people, to study and know the spirit, 
piety, and mysteries of the holy scripture." " The 
reading of the holy scriptures is for every body." " The 
Lord's day ought to be sanctified by Christians, in 
reading pious books, and especially in reading the holy 
scriptures." This, in the view of the pope, was the 
direful heresy of the French father. In accordance 
with this, the popish vicars apostolic and their coadjutors 
in Britain thus write : " When the reading and circula- 
tion of the scriptures are urged and recommended as 
the entire rule of faith, as the sole means by which men 
are brought to the certain and specific knowledge of the 
doctrines, precepts, and institutions of Christ, and when 
the scriptures, so read and circulated, are left to the inter- 
pretation and private judgment of each individual, then 
such reading, circulation, and interpretation, are forbid- 
den by the catholic church, (i. e. popery) because the 
catholic church knows that the circulation of the scrip- 
tures, and the interpretation of them by each one's 
private judgment, was not the means ordained by Christ 
for the communication of the true knowledge of his law 
14* 



162 HISTORY OF POPERV. 

to all nations — she knows that Christianity was esta- 
blished in many countries before one book of the new 
testament was written — that it was not by means of the 
scriptures that the apostles converted nations, or any one 
nation to the unity of the Christian faith — that the unau- 
thorized reading and circulation of the scriptures, and 
the interpretation of them by private judgment, are cal- 
culated to lead men to contradictory doctrines on the 
primary articles of Christian belief ; to inconsistent forms 
of worship, which cannot all be consistent parts of the 
uniform and sublime system of Christianity ; to error 
and fanaticism in religion ; to sedition, and the greatest 
disorders in states and kingdoms." 

In regard to the means instituted by Christ for the 
promulgation of his law to all nations, alluded to in the 
above communication, it may be remarked, when Christ 
said, " Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel 
to every creature," he evidently intended they should 
carry the gospel with them in some form as a common 
reference. The original world is evangelize, that is, 
bring all nations to the knowledge and obedience of the 
gospel, so far as you can do it as instruments. The com- 
mission of Christ to his apostles does not decide whether 
this shall be done by preaching, or by circulating the 
scriptures in a written form. Doubtless it includes both 
methods. Else why did Christ cause his gospel to be 
written ? Was it not to be a standing record of the 
truth to which all concerned might refer 1 And if •so, 
do not those to whom the gospel is communicated, and 
who are personally interested in a right knowledge of 
its truths, need this standard ? How else shall they be 
certified that the gospel is preached to them ? The cir- 
culation of the scriptures, then, in a written form, and 
the translation of them into different languages, are then 
a part, an essential part of the means instituted by Christ 
for the communication of the true knowledge of his law 
to all nations. To say that Christianity was established 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 163 

in many countries before one book of the new testament 
was written, and to apply this remark as an argument in 
force now, is extremely weak. The inspired apostles 
who received the truth direct from the Holy Ghost, and 
who attested their inspiration by miracles and prophecies, 
were not in need of written revelation. But what does 
this fact avail now, when we have no inspired men, no 
miracles, no prophecy, nothing indeed for our guide but 
the written word? But why is it here said, that the 
reading of the scriptures is calculated to lead them to 
contradictory opinions ? How is it calculated, any more 
than any other subject of human judgment ? The state- 
ment ought to have been confined to the simple matter 
of fact, that men do entertain different opinions respecting 
the meaning of the scriptures, and on religious subjects. 
This fact results from their different feelings, motives 
and prejudices in reading the scriptures, and not from 
any tendency in the scriptures to produce this diversity. 
A standard in weight or measure, as before remarked, 
may be erroneously applied through the negligence or 
unskilfulness of the agent, and in different cases, may 
lead to different results. But does this at all impair the 
utility of such a standard, or show that it is calculated 
to lead men to contradictory opinions ? Admitting the 
fact to be as it is, that there are various and discordant 
opinions entertained by those who read and interpret 
the scriptures for themselves, or judge for themselves of 
a correct interpretation ; does this prove that the bible is 
a dangerous book in the hands of men ? Men must be 
responsible for their own opinions and judgment, as they 
would not be, if they had no correct standard. And 
what is the remedy which popery proposes for this sup- 
posed evil ? It is, that the pope and tradition shall tell 
men what the bible means, in other words, shall give a 
bible to men. For to command the interpretation is to 
possess the key of knowledge, and in effect to make a 
bible. The question then is, whether men shall see for 



164 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

themselves the book of God and judge of its contents, or 
go to the pope to know what it contains ? 

Papists, it seems, are afraid that the common people 
will corrupt the bible by reading it, and render the gos- 
pel of Christ a gospel of man, if not of the devil. But 
they seem to have no fears that popes and priests, and 
tradition, will corrupt the scriptures. They have no ap- 
prehensions that the devil may step behind the curtain, 
at the Vatican, and give responses which are dangerous 
to souls. It may be well, therefore, to look for a moment 
at the state of facts on this point. Mr. Fisk, an Ameri- 
can missionary, mentions the following occurrence, of 
which he had personal knowledge. When at Alexan- 
dria, he fell in company with a popish priest. The 
priest showed him a popish prayer-book in English, and 
also what he called the bible in Italian. But it was a 
history of the bible, written with omissions, abreviations, 
and comments. There is a similar work in French 
called the "bible Royeaumont," the general plan of 
which is that of Jameson's Sacred History. The grand 
fault respecting these books is, that the priests give them 
to the people as the bible, and the latter do not know that 
there is any other, or that these books differ in any re- 
spect from the real scriptures. But the bible, as it is, 
must be kept from the people, lest they corrupt it. An- 
other fact to illustrate the insincerity of this plea is the 
insertion of the books of apocrypha as divine inspira- 
tion. Another is the substitution of popish words and 
terms for scriptural phrases, in translating the bible. 
Thus the word penance is by papists substituted almost 
invariably for the scriptural term repentance. Job says, 
" I abhor myself and repent," &c. The popish scrip- 
tures say, " I reprehend myself, and do penance in dust 
and ashes." " If the wicked do penance for all the sin 
he has committed." Thus, the preaching of John — Re- 
pent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand — is, " Do pe- 
nance" &c. Is this the gospel of men, or of the devil ? 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 166 

It surely is not the word of God. But a still more glaring 
fact respecting this point is the suppression of the second 
command of the decalogue, in popish bibles and cate- 
chisms. The popish decalogue stands thus: 1. I am 
the Lord thy God ; thou shalt have no strange gods be- 
fore me. 2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord 
thy God in vain. 3. Remember thou keep holy the sab- 
bath day. 4. Honor thy father and mother. 5. Thou 
shalt not kill. 6. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 
7. Thou shalt not steal. 8. Thou shalt not bear false 
witness. 9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. 
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods. This is 
copied from a catechism extensively used in Ireland. In 
the primary books used in Italy, the fourth command is 
omitted as well as the second, and in its place is the fol- 
lowing : — " Remember to keep holy the days of festivals." 
This is done by men who are afraid, or pretend to be so, 
that common people will corrupt the scriptures. When 
the papists of France, in the seventeenth century, found 
that all their fire and sword would not extirpate protest- 
ants, they resolved on a new expedient. An edition of 
the New Testament was published, so translated that a 
papist might find scriptural authority for all he claimed. 
The book was printed at Bordeaux in 1686, and was en- 
titled, " The New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
translated from Latin into French by the divines of Lou- 
vain." The attestation of the archbishop of Bordeaux 
was prefixed to -it, assuring the reader that it was care- 
fully revised and corrected. Two doctors in divinity also 
recommended it as useful to all those, who, with permis- 
sion of their superiors, might read it. A few examples 
of this translation are subjoined, to show how safe the 
bible is in the hands of the priesthood. Acts xiii. 2, 
" As they ministered to the Lord and fasted," is thus 
translated by the papists : — "As they offered to the Lord 
the sacrifice of the mass" Luke ii. 41, popish transla- 
tion, " As his father and mother went every year in pit' 



166 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

grimage to Jerusalem." 1 Cor. xi. 2, " Ye keep my 
commandments as I left them with you by tradition." 
Jude 5, " The faith once delivered to the saints by tradi- 
tion." 1 Cor. ix. 5, " Have we not power to lead about 
a sister, a woman to serve us in the gospel, and to remem- 
ber us with her goods, as the other apostles ?" 1 Cor. 
iii. 15, " He himself shall be saved, yet in all cases as by 
the fire of purgatory." But the greatest curiosity of 
the whole work is the translation of 1 Tim. iv. 1 — 3. 
This passage, one would suppose, must have been a3 
gravel to their teeth. But tradition and the holy mother 
operate as an universal solvent to all knotty texts. The 
translation runs thus : — " Now the Spirit speaketh ex- 
pressly, that in the latter times some will separate them- 
selves from the Roman faith, giving themselves up to 
spirits of error, and to doctrines taught by devils ; speak- 
ing false things through hypocrisy, having also the con- 
science cauterized ; condemning the sacrament of mar- 
riage, the abstinence from meats, which God hath created 
for the faithful, and for those who have known the truth, 
to receive them with thanksgiving." Many other similar 
examples might be given, but we have enough to satisfy 
every mind that the plea of papists for withholding the 
scriptures is utterly false and hypocritical. The truth 
is, they are afraid to put the bible, in any shape, into the 
hands of the people, lest it should disclose their secret 
abominations. "Every one that doeth evil hateth the 
light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be 
reproved." The whole papal world may be challenged 
to produce any corruptions or alterations of the sacred 
volume by those who have free access to it, to be com- 
pared with those above cited, and a multitude of others. 
Such, then, is the doctrine and practice of popery con- 
cerning the sacred scriptures. And if they thus pollute 
the fountain, what must we not expect in the streams ? 

2. Transubstantiation. 

This means, that in the sacramental supper, the bread 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 167 

and wine used are, after consecration, turned into the real 
flesh and blood of Christ. And this they call the real 
presence of Christ. The decree of the council of Trent 
on this subject, in an abridged form, is as follows, viz. : — 
" In the first place the holy council teacheth, and openly 
and plainly professeth, that our Lord Jesus Christ, true 
God and man, is truly, really, and substantially contained 
in the pure sacrament of the holy eucharist, after the 
consecration of the bread and wine, and under the species 
of these sensible objects. Neither is it to be regarded as 
contradictory, that our Saviour should always sit at the 
right hand of the Father in heaven, according to his 
natural mode of existence, and yet be sacramentally pre- 
sent with us in his substance, and in many other places, 
according to that mode of existence which, though we 
cannot express it in words, we can nevertheless, when 
thought is illumined by faith, conceive to be possible with 
God, and ought most firmly to believe. For all our an- 
cestors, who belong to the true church of Christ, did 
most plainly acknowledge, when discoursing on this most 
holy sacrament, that our Redeemer instituted the same, 
when, after the benediction of the bread and wine, he 
testified, in clear and express words, that he presented to 
his disciples his own body and his own blood. It is 
therefore a most heinous crime that they should be 
turned, by certain contentious and wicked men, into pre- 
tended and imaginary figures, to the denial of the truth 
of the flesh and blood of Christ." Such is the doctrine 
of popery concerning the sacramental elements. And 
while they construe the words of Christ literally when 
he says, " This is my body," they do not recollect that 
Christ said also, " I am the way, I am the door of the 
fold, I am the true vine," &c. If one declaration is to 
be understood as literal, why not the others ? Neither 
do they appear at all to regard the gross inconsistency 
and nonsense of the real presence of the body of Christ 
in thousands of different places at the same time, and of 



168 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

his real body being eaten, and his real blood being drunk, 
on many repeated occasions. If Christ gave his real 
body and blood to his disciples in the supper, they must 
have eaten him while he yet remained entire before them, 
nay, he must have broken his own body, and poured 
out his own blood, while personally present. But the 
papists not only pervert the ordinance by this strange 
conceit, they also pervert it by ascribing to it saving 
power, and sanctifying properties. The effects of the 
eucharist, or Lord's Supper, are thus enumerated in 
their catechism. 1. "It imparts grace; it is not like 
(ordinary) bread and wine changed into our substance, 
but in some measure changes us into its own nature. 2. 
It remits venial sins. Whatever losses the soul suf- 
fers by falling into some slight offences through the' 
violence of passion, there the eucharist, which cancels 
lesser sins, repairs, in the same manner that natural food, 
as we know from experience, repairs the daily waste 
caused by the vital heat of the system. 3. It is an anti- 
dote against the contagion of sin, and a shield against the 
violent assaults of temptation. 4. It represses the licen- 
tious desires of the flesh, and keeps them in due subjection 
to the spirit. 5. It facilitates in an extraordinary degree 
the attainment of eternal life. The grace which it imparts 
gives peace and tranquillity to the soul ; and when the 
hour shall have arrived, when he is to take his depar- 
ture from this mortal life ; like another Elias, who, in 
the strength of his miraculous repast, walked to Horeb, 
the mount of God ; the Christian, invigorated by the 
strengthening influence of this heavenly food, shall 
wing his way to the mansions of everlasting glory, and 
never ending bliss." Thus we see the papists pervert 
the supper of the Lord, into an engine of superstition. 
They make it a substitute for Christ, and without any 
regard to the feelings or motives of the recipient, they 
ground his spiritual improvement and growth in grace, 
on the mere fact of an external reception of these ele- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 169 

ments. . This, we may perceive, is what makes papists 
so anxious to receive the eucharist when about to die. 
They suppose that it has in itself, as being Christ in the 
form of bread, a power to heal the soul. If they receive 
these elements therefore by eating and drinking them, 
they suppose they have received Christ to salvation. 
What more dangerous and fatal delusion can be 
imagined ? And yet thousands of souls, under papal 
guidance, go out of the world with no other hope. 

Of the worship and veneration to be given to this 
sacrament, we shall treat in another section. It may 
be proper to add here, a brief description of the po- 
pish method of administration in this ordinance, and 
their method of preserving and carrying it to the sick. 
The following direction for receiving the communion, is 
from the pen of a popish doctor. " When the priest 
gives you the blessed sacrament, saying, the body of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, preserve thy soul' to life everlasting, 
amen, receive with a lively faith, a personal humility. 
an heart enflamed with love." The communicant goes 
up to the rail of the altar, and having a toWel held be- 
fore him, then he proceeds according to the following 
directions of the above mentioned doctor. " At the time 
of your receiving, let your head be erect, your mouth 
opene4 moderately wide, and your tongue a little ad- 
vanced so as to rest on your under lip, that the priest 
may conveniently convey the blessed sacrament into 
your mouth. Which being done, shut your mouth, let 
the sacred host moisten a little on your tongue, and then 
swallow it down as soon as you can, and then abstain 
a while from spitting. If the host should chance to stick 
to the roof of your mouth, be not disturbed, neither 
must you put your finger in your mouth to remove it, 
but gently and quietly remove it with your tongue, and 
thus convey it down ; and then return to your place, and 
endeavor to entertain as well as you can, the guest whom 
you have received." The direction to abstain from 
15 



170 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

spitting after receiving the host or bread, is designed pro- 
bably to prevent the ejection, by this means, of any part 
of the real body of Christ; for this would be a fatal loss. 
Concerning the preservation of the sacrament, and the 
conveyance of it to the sick, the council of Trent thus 
decreed. " The custom of preserving the holy eucharist, 
in the sacristy is so ancient, that it was acknowledged 
even in the age of the council of Nice. Moreover the 
practice of carrying the same holy eucharist to the sick, 
and carefully preserving it for that purpose in the 
churches, is not only perfectly agreeable to the strict- 
est equity and reason, but has been enjoined by many 
councils, and sanctioned by the long standing observ- 
ance of the catholic church. Therefore this holy 
council decrees that this very salutary and necessary 
custom be retained." The following description of the 
ceremony of carrying the sacrament to the sick, is from 
a resident in Spain. " When a priest carries the con- 
secrated wafer, or bread, to a dying person, a man with 
a small bell accompanies him. At the sound of the bell, 
all who hear it are obliged to fall on their knees, and to 
remain in that posture till they hear it no longer. Its 
sound operates like magic upon the Spaniards. In the 
midst of a gay and noisy party, the word sa Majestad, 
(his majesty, the same expression being used both for 
God and the king,) will bring every one on his knees, 
till the tinkling dies in the distance. Are you at dinner. 
you must leave the table ; in bed, you must at least sit 
up. But the most ludicrous effect of this custom is to 
be seen at the theatre. On the approach of the host to 
any military guard, the drum beats, the men are drawn 
out, and as soon as the priest can be seen, they bend the 
right knee, invert the firelocks, and place the bayonet on 
the ground. As an officer's guard is always stationed 
at the door of a Spanish theatre, I have often laughed in 
my sleeve at the effect of the chamade upon the actors, 
and the company. Dios ! Dios ! (God, God,) resounds 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 171 

from all parts of the house, and every one falls that mo- 
ment on his knees. The actors' ranting and rattling of 
the castenets in the fandango, is hushed for a few- 
minutes, till the sound of the bell, growing fainter and 
fainter, dies away, the amusement is resumed, and the 
devout performers are once more on their legs, anx- 
ious to make amends for the interruption." When the 
eucharist is administered to a dying person, it is called 
the "viaticum," because, says the papal catechism, "it 
prepares for us a passage to eternal happiness, and ever- 
lasting glory. Hence, in accordance with the ancient 
practice of the church, none of the faithful are suffered 
to depart this life, without being previously fortified with 
this living bread from heaven." 

The council of Trent did not deem it sufficient merely 
to state truth, as they call it, but they proceeded to detect 
and denounce what they call error, in the following 
canons. 1. " Whoever shall deny that in the most holy 
sacrament of the eucharist, there are truly, really, and 
substantially contained the body and blood of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, together with his soul and divinity, and 
consequently Christ entire ; but shall affirm that he is 
present therein, only in a figure or sign, or by his power, 
let him be accursed. 2. Whoever shall affirm that in 
the most holy sacrament of the eucharist, there remains 
the substance of the bread and wine, together with the 
body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and shall 
deny that wonderful and peculiar conversion of the 
whole substance of the bread into his body, and of the 
whole substance of the wine into his blood, the species 
only of bread and wine remaining, which conversion 
the catholic church most fitly terms transubstantiation ; 
let him be accursed." This canon is directed against the 
consubstantiation of Luther, but which is now rejected 
by protestants. 6. " Whoever shall affirm that Christ 
the only begotten son of God, is not to be adored in the 
holy eucharist, with the external signs of that worship 



172 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

which is due to God, and therefore, that the eucharist 
is not to be honored with extraordinary festive celebra- 
tion, nor solemnly carried about in processions accord- 
ing to the laudible and universal rites and customs of 
holy church, nor publicly presented to the people for 
their adoration, and that those who worship the same 
are idolaters, let him be accursed." 11. " Whoever 
shall affirm that faith only, is a sufficient preparation 
for the reception of the most holy sacrament of the 
eucharist, let him he accursed. And lest so great a 
sacrament should be taken unworthily, and therefore to 
death and condemnation, the said holy council doth 
decree and declare, that previous sacramental confession 
is absolutely necessary, if a confessor is at hand, for 
those who are conscious of the guilt of mortal sin, how- 
ever contrite they may think themselves to be. Who- 
ever shall presume to teach, preach, or obstinately as- 
sert the contrary, or to maintain opposite opinions in 
public disputation, let him be, ipso facto, excommuni- 
cated." No one can complain that these canons are not 
sufficiently explicit. Here the bread and wine of the 
supper are declared to be Christ himself, not only his 
body, but his soul and divinity. Consequently, that the 
same worship is due to these symbols which is due to 
Christ as God. And that no person conscious of mortal 
sin, as they speak, can properly come to Christ or his 
ordinance, on the ground of faith, or however contrite 
he may think himself to be, without first confessing his 
sins to a priest, a fellow sinner, and obtaining his absolu- 
tion. It seems that this might be enought to satisfy 
every rational mind, of the true nature and tendency of 
popery. The council of Trent say, that the doctrine of 
transubstantiation has been the doctrine of the chtrch 
always. But this is a false statement. Several eminent 
writers of the papal church, among whom we may reck- 
on Scotus, and Bellarmine, Biel, and Cojetan, confess 
that this doctrine cannot be proved from the scrip- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 173 

tures. This doctrine was not started or heard of in the 
ancient church, until the year 750. A dispute arose, 
about that year, in the synod of Constantinople concern- 
ing the worship of images, in opposition to which, that 
synod thus reasoned. " That our Lord having left no 
other image of himself, than the sacrament in which 
the substance of the bread is the image of his body, we 
ought to make no other image of our Lord." In an- 
swer to this argument the second council of Nice, in 
the year 787, did declare that " the sacrament after the 
consecration, is not the image and antitype of Christ's 
body and blood, but is properly his body and blood." 
Thus it appears, that the real presence of Christ in the 
sacrament, was first introduced to support image wor- 
ship, and if it come in at all, it could not come on a more 
fit occasion. This took place in the Greek church. 
In the Latin or Roman church, the subject was first 
broached by the monk Paschosius, in the year 818. But 
the doctrine was not received till a long time after this. 
Indeed it was contested for about 300 years, until at 
length the monstrous absurdity became a settled doctrine 
of popery. The change of the elements from bread and 
wine, to the real body and blood of Christ, is supposed 
to take place immediately after consecration, before the 
bread is broken, when the priest pronounces in latin, 
"hoc est corpus meum" in English, "this is my body." 
These words are pronounced as a kind of spell or 
charm, by which the bread and wine are commanded to 
depart from the elements, and the body and blood, and 
soul, and divinity of Christ to enter them. On this ac- 
count, as is supposed, a contraction of this latin phrase, 
into " hocus-pocus" is usually repeated by jugglers, to 
give superstitious mystery to their tricks. And certainly 
the hocus-pocus of jugglers, is as well founded as that of 



But the popish priests do not and cannot believe this 
absurd doctrine, on which they lay so much stress. 
15* 



174 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

They have burnt many at the stake for not believing 
what no rational mind can believe. As evidence of the 
hypocrisy of the popish priests in professing to believe 
this doctrine, the following anecdote may apply. " A 
protestant lady married a papist, on condition that he 
would never use any attempts, in his intercourse with 
her, to induce her to embrace his religion. Accordingly, 
after their marriage, he abstained from conversing with 
her on those topics, which he knew would be disagree- 
able to her. He employed the popish priest, however, 
who often visited the family, to use his influence to instill 
his popish notions into her mind. But she remained 
unmoved, particularly on the doctrine of transubstantia- 
tion. At length the husband fell ill, and was advised by 
the priest to receive the holy sacrament. The wife was 
requested to prepare the bread and wine for the solem- 
nity by the next day. She did so ; and on presenting 
them to the priest, said, ' These, sir, you wish me to un- 
derstand, will be changed into the real body and blood of 
Christ, after you have consecrated them ?' ' Most cer- 
tainly,' he replied. ' Then, sir,' she rejoined, ' it will not 
be possible, after the consecration, for them to do any 
harm to the worthy partakers ; for says our Lord, my 
flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed ; and 
he that eateth me shall live by me.' ' Assuredly,' an- 
swered the priest, ' they cannot do harm to the worthy 
receivers, but must communicate great good.' The cere- 
mony proceeded, the bread and wine were consecrated, 
the priest was about to take and eat the bread ; but the 
lady begged pardon for interrupting him, saying, ' I 
mixed a little arsenic with the bread, sir, but as it is now 
changed into the real body of Christ, it will of course do 
you no harm.' The faith of the priest was not sufficiently 
firm to enable him to eat the poisoned bread. Confused, 
ashamed, and irritated, he left the house, and never more 
ventured to enforce on that lady the doctrine of transub- 
stantiation." 



history of popery. 175 

3. Penance. 

The term penance had originally a two fold meaning. 
1. Interior sorrow of heart on account of sin ; this is the 
virtue of penance. 2. Exterior indication of such sor- 
row ; this is the sacrament of penance. It consists of cer- 
tain fruits or signs which may be considered significant 
of internal sorrow. In this view it means much the 
same thing as repentance, and fruits meet for repentance, 
and thus far is unobjectionable. But now come the po- 
pish glosses. It was supposed to be a difficult thing for 
a man to pronounce of the genuineness of his own sor- 
row, and the sufficiency of the fruits to manifest it. To 
remove this difficulty the papists teach, that Christ insti- 
tuted the sacrament of penance, in which we are author- 
ized to cherish a well grounded hope, that our sins are for- 
given us by the absolution of the priest, and the faith which 
we justly have in the efficacy of the sacrament, has much 
influence in tranquillizing the mind, and giving peace to 
the soul. The voice of the priest, who is legitimately 
constituted a minister for the remission of sins, is to be 
heard as that of Christ himself, saying to the lame, " Son, 
be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee." " More- 
over, as salvation is attainable only through Christ and 
the merits of his passion, the institution of this sacra- 
ment was in itself accordant to the views of divine wis- 
dom, and pregnant with blessings to the Christian. 
Penance is the channel through which the blood of 
Christ flows into the soul, washes away the stains of sin 
contracted after baptism, and calls forth from us the 
grateful acknowledgment, that to Christ alone are we in- 
debted for reconciliation with God." This is the popish 
account of the subject, from which we may perceive, that 
by magnifying the external fruit of repentance, or rather 
what they enjoin as fruit, and by magnifying their own 
importance in the matter, the priests gradually turned 
away the minds of their followers from sin, as a crime 
against God, and from all internal exercise of sorrow, to 



176 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

certain external rites, by which they signified that sin 
was pardoned. If the priest judged that certain fruits 
were sufficient and pronounced them so, the offender was 
comforted. And thus all sorrow for sin became not re- 
pentance towards God, but towards the priest. Con- 
cerning this subject the council of Trent decreed as fol- 
lows. " Now, in order to obtain grace and righteousness, 
penance was always necessary for all men who had de- 
filed themselves with mortal sin, even for those who 
sought to be washed in the sacrament of baptism, that 
renouncing and amending their perverseness, they might 
regard so great offences against God with utmost ab- 
horrence, hatred, and pious grief of mind. Whence the 
prophet saith, ' Be converted and do penance for all your 
iniquities, and iniquity shall not be your ruin.' The 
Lord also said, ' Except you do penance you shall all 
likewise perish.' And Peter, the prince of the apostles, 
recommending penance to those sinners who were about 
to be initiated by baptism, said, ' Do penance and be bap- 
tized every one of you. ; Yet penance was not a sacra- 
ment before the coming of Christ, nor since his coming 
is it a sacrament to any before baptism." Here mark 
the popish perversion of the doctrine of repentance. If 
they are to be credited, men before baptism are not re- 
quired to do works meet for repentance, or to give satis- 
factory evidence of that inward exercise. Christ cer- 
tainly did not so teach men. But, proceeds the council, 
" The Lord especially instituted the sacrament of pe- 
nance when, after his resurrection, he breathed on his 
disciples, saying, ' Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose 
sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them, and whose 
sins ye retain they are retained.' By this remarkable 
action, and by these express words, as the fathers have 
by universal consent always understood the same, the 
power of forgiving sins and retaining them, in order to 
reconcile the faithful, who have sinned after baptism, was 
communicated to the apostles and their lawful successors; 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 177 

and the catholic church hath, with good reason, rejected 
and condemned as heretics the Novatians, who obstinately 
deny the power of forgiving." It is natural to remark 
on the above statement, that before the papist priests claim 
the prerogative of the apostles expressed in the above 
passage, whatever may be its meaning, it will be well 
for them to show the requisite qualifications, viz., that 
Christ hath breathed on them, and said, receive ye the 
Holy Ghost. It is not important now to stop to explain 
the words of Christ to his disciples cited above ; for, 
whatever that meaning may be, the papists have no right 
to it, any more than when Christ said to his disciples, 
" If ye shall say to this mountain, be thou removed, and 
be thou cast into the sea, it shall be done." The popish 
priests are not the lawful successors of the apostles, and 
if they claim to be, let them prove the claim. It appears, 
from the statements of papists, that baptism is to be con- 
sidered as cleansing the unregenerate, and penance ap- 
plies to the sins which men commit after they are bap- 
tized. And the form of absolution which the council of 
Trent prescribed, is in these words. " / absolve thee 
from thy sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
and of the Holy Ghost." " In these words its power and 
efficacy are said to reside. The great efficacy of pe- 
nance, says the popish catechism, consists in this, that it 
restores us to the favor of God, and unites us to him in 
the closest bonds of friendship. There is no sin how- 
ever grievous, no crime however enormous or often re- 
peated, which penance does not remit." The council of 
Trent passed the following decrees against the opponents 
of penance in their sense of it. " Whoever shall affirm, 
that penance, as used in the catholic church, is not truly 
and properly a sacrament instituted by Christ our Lord, 
for the benefit of the faithful, to reconcile them to God, 
as often as they shall fall into sin after baptism, let him 
be accursed." 3. "Whoever shall affirm, that the words 
of the Lord our Saviour, ' Receive ye the Holy Ghost,' 



178 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

&c, are not to be understood of the power of forgiving 
and retaining sins, in the sacrament of penance, as the 
catholic church has always, from the very first, under- 
stood them, but shall restrict them to the authority of 
preaching the gospel, in opposition to the institution of 
this sacrament, let him be accursed." 

4. Auricular Confession. 

This, though properly a part of penance, it is expedi- 
ent to consider under a distinct head. This means the 
confessing, in the ear of a priest, commissioned for that 
purpose, and called a confessor, of all the sins, public and 
secret, of which any one feels conscious, and which he 
can possibly recollect. " The universal Church," says 
the above mentioned council, " has always understood 
that a full confession of sins was instituted by our Lord, 
as a part of the sacrament of penance, now explained, 
and that it is necessary, by divine appointment, for all 
men who have sinned after baptism, because our Lord 
Jesus Christ, when he was about to ascend from earth to 
heaven, left his priests in his place, as presidents and 
judges, to whom all mortal offences, into which the faith- 
ful might fall, may be submitted, that they might pro- 
nounce remission or retention of sins, according to the 
power of the keys. For it is plain, that a priest cannot 
sustain the office of judge, if the cause be unknown to 
him, nor inflict suitable punishments, if sins are only con- 
fessed in general, and not individually and minutely de- 
scribed. For this reason it follows, that penitents are 
bound to rehearse, in confession, all mortal sins, of which, 
after diligent examination of themselves, they are con- 
scious, even though they be of the most secret kind, and 
only committed against the two last precepts of the deca- 
logue, (i. e. according to the popish arrangement, which 
divides the truth, in order to supply the absence of the 
second,) which sometimes do more grievously wound 
souls, and are more perilous than those which are open 
and manifest." Here we see that popery claims the right 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 179 

to dive into the secrets of the heart, and to judge of what 
none but God can adequately know. But, proceeds the 
council, " Seeing that all mortal sins, even of thought, 
make men children of wrath, and enemies of God, it is 
necessary to seek from him, (through the priest,) the 
pardon of every one of them, with open, (that is auricu- 
lar,) and humble confession. Moreover, it follows, that 
even those circumstances, which alter the species of sin, 
are to be explained in confession, since the penitents can- 
not otherwise fully confess their sins, nor the judges 
know them, and it becomes impossible to form a right es- 
timate of the heinousness of the offence, or inflict a suit- 
able punishment. Whence it is very unreasonable to 
teach that these circumstances are the inventions of idle 
men, or that it is sufficient to confess one circumstance 
only, as for instance that we have sinned against a 
brother." Concerning the persons who are authorized to 
receive confessions, the council goes on to say, " That 
even those priests who are living in mortal sin, may ex- 
ercise the function of forgiving sins as the ministers of 
Christ, by the power of the Holy Ghost conferred upon 
them in their ordination, and that those who hold that 
wicked priests have not this power, hold very erroneous 
sentiments." In the catechism it is stated that the most 
inviolable secrecy is to be observed by the confessor. 
•'• All laws, human and divine, guard the inviolability of 
the seal of confession, (i. e. secrecy of it,) and against 
its sacrilegious infraction, the church denounces her 
heaviest chastisements." According to this law, Garnet, 
the Jesuit, concealed his knowledge of the gun powder 
plot, and justified his concealment, because he received 
the information at confession. The popish catechism 
proceeds to speak of confession. " In the minister of 
God, who sits in the tribunal of penance as his legiti- 
mate judge, (though the judge may be living himself in 
mortal sin,) the penitent venerates the power and person 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, for in the administration of 



180 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

this, as well as of other sacraments, the priest represents 
the character, and performs the functions of Jesus Christ." 
If this is true, one would be led to say, at least, " Be ye 
holy that bear the vessels of the Lord.'' 

The method of confession in common practice is the 
following : " The penitent kneeling down by the side 
of his ghostly (i. e. spiritual) father, makes the sign of 
the cross and asks his blessing, " Pray father, give me 
your blessing, I have sinned." Then he begins in Latin 
or in English to say what is called the confiteor. It 
runs thus : " I confess to Almighty God, to blessed 
Mary, ever a virgin, to blessed Michael the archangel, 
to blessed John Baptist, to the holy apostles Peter and 
Paul, to all the saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in 
thought, word and deed, through my fault, through my 
most grievous fault." At this place, the penitent accuses 
himself of his sins in particular, either according to the 
order of God's commandments, (omitting such as priests 
choose to leave out) or such other order as he may find 
most helpful to his memory : adding, after the mention 
of each sin, the number of times he has been guilty of 
it, and such circumstances as may very considerably 
aggravate the guilt ; but carefully abstaining from such 
as are impertinent and unnecessary, and from excuses 
and long narrations. After he has confessed all that he 
can remember, he then concludes with this or the like 
form. " Therefore I beseech the blessed Mary, ever a 
virgin, the blessed Michael the archangel, the blessed 
John Baptist, the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and all 
the saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me. For all 
these and my other sins, which I cannot at this present 
call to my remembrance, I am heartily sorry, purpose 
amendment for the future, most humbly ask pardon of 
God, and absolution of you, my ghostly father. So the 
penitent may finish his confiteor, and then give attentive 
ear to the instructions of his confessor, and humbly ac- 
cept of the penance enjoined upon him. While the priest 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 181 

gives him absolution, he must bow down his head, and 
with great humility call upon God for mercy, and beg 
of him that he will be pleased to pronounce the sentence 
of absolution in heaven, while his minister absolves him 
upon earth. After confession, let the penitent return to 
his prayers, and after having heartily given God thanks 
for having admitted him, by the means of this ordinance, 
to the grace of reconciliation, and received him like the 
prodigal child returning home, let him make an offering 
of his confession to Jesus Christ, begging pardon for 
whatever defects he may have been guilty of in it, offering 
up his resolutions to his Saviour, and begging grace 
that he may put them in execution." A certain popish 
doctor has furnished a list of questions to be used for 
the examination of conscience, on the ten command- 
ments, before confession. The following may serve as 
examples : " 1. Have you been guilty of heresy or dis- 
belief of any article of faith, or of any voluntary doubts 
respecting it ? How often ? And for how long a time ? 
Have you rashly exposed yourself to infidelity, by 
reading bad books or keeping wicked company ? How 
often ? 2. Have you, by word or deed, denied your re- 
ligion, or gone to the churches or meetings of heretics, 
so as to join in any way with them in their worship? or 
to give scandal? How often?" Thus the first and 
second commands are passed by as if the whole meaning 
of them were, thou shalt have no other God but the 
pope. 3. (4.) Have you broke the days of abstinence, 
commanded by the church, or eaten more than one meal 
on fast days, or been accessory to others' so doing ? How 
often ? Have you neglected to confess your sins once a 
year, or to receive the blessed sacraments at Easter ? 
Have you presumed to receive the blessed sacrament, 
after having broken your fast ? 5. (6.) Have you com- 
mitted any thing you judged or doubted to be mortal 
sin, though perhaps it was not ? How often ? Or have 
you exposed yourself to the evident danger of mortal 
16 



182 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

sin? How often ? And of what sin? 9. (10.) Have 
you entertained with pleasure the thoughts of doing or 
saying any thing which it would he sin to say and do 1 
How often ? Have you the design or the desire of com- 
mitting any sin ? Of what sin ? How often ? Have 
-you been guilty of eating or drinking to excess, so far as 
considerably to injure your health or your reason, or to 
endanger them ? And with what scandal ? Have you 
made others drunk, or sought to make them so ? How 
often? Have you gloried in any other sin whatsoever 1 
How often ? And before what company ? And what 
sin ?" (From a popish book called Garden of the soul.) 
The questions on the seventh command, (the sixth of 
papists,) are so indecent as to be unfit to be published. 
And the publication of such questions by papists, speaks 
volumes concerning the morality and delicacy of their 
confessions to the priest. The truth of this remark 
maybe illustrated from the Catholics Manual, a volume 
issued by John Power, popish vicar general of New 
York. As penitents, we are to confess "sins against 
ourselves by impurity. 1. In thoughts. In wilfully 
dwelling upon, or taking pleasure in unchaste thoughts. 
In confession, it must be mentioned how long, whether 
with desires of committing evil, whether they caused ir- 
regular motions in a holy place, whether the objects of 
unlawful desires were single or married persons, or per- 
sons consecrated to God ? 2. In words. Speaking 
obscenely, listening with pleasure to such vile language, 
singing unchaste songs, giving toasts and sentiments 
contrary to modesty. 3. In looks. Viewing immodest 
objects, reading bad books, keeping indecent pictures, 
frequenting plays, and tempting others to sin by disso- 
lute glances, gestures, or immodest dress or behavior. 
4. Actions. Defiling the sanctity of marriage by shame- 
ful liberties contrary to nature. In touching ourselves 
or others immodestly — permitting such base liberties — 
certain sins of a lonely and abominable nature. What 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 183 

were the consequences of these sinful impurities ? explain 
every thing, the number of these bad actions, the length 
of time continued in the habit, and with whom we 
sinned." The following questions to be asked at confes- 
sion, are found in the Philadelphia edition of the Key to 
Paradise, approved by Mr. Kendrick, the popish priest 
of Philadelphia. " 1. Have you been guilty of adultery 
or fornication, and how often ? 2. Have you desired to 
commit either, and how often? 3. Have you intended 
to commit either, and how often ? 4. Have you taken 
pleasure in thinking on any improper subject, and how 
often ? 5. Have you endeavored to excite your own 
passions, and how often? 6. Have you been guilty of 
indecent liberties, and how often ? 7. Have you read 
indecent writings, or lent them to others, and how often ? 
8. Have you exposed indecent pictures ? 9. Have you 
joined in indecent conversation, and how often ? 10. 
Have you committed any gross sin against chastity ?" It 
is painful to make a public record of such questions. 
But duty demands that the shameful indecency of con- 
fessions be known to the community. 

The above is the most delicate form in which the sub- 
ject ever came before the public. No one questions the 
propriety of penitence before God for all enormities which 
flow from the human heart, that sink of sin ; but where 
is the propriety or morality of pouring all these things 
into the ear of an upstart priest, a fellow sinner, a man 
of like passions with others ? Certainly, if he have any 
delicacy of feeling, he will not be highly edified by hav- 
ing his ears and mind made the common reservoir of all 
the filth around him. And then think of all the popish 
men and women, boys and girls, above twelve years of 
age, carefully studying the above questions, and truly 
answering them to the priest, on pain of being refused 
absolution, which is essential to salvation ! What can 
such an exercise produce but the utter prostration of all 
moral principle ? For the young are by these questions, 



184 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

and the answers they must give, initiated into the know- 
ledge of criminal practices, of which they would other- 
wise never have thought. The confessional, then, is truly 
a school of vice and defilement, whose catechumens are 
trained up for the service of Satan. And what must 
female character and sentiment he, formed under such an 
influence, and in such a school. Surely popish husbands 
are not to be envied respecting the confidence and com- 
placency they feel towards their wives, whose minds 
have been polluted with this drilling in impurity, if no- 
thing more is the effect. Surely, the female part of po- 
pish communities must be effectually guarded against the 
loss of any delicacy, or modesty, or purity, after a few 
years of such seasoning ! 

But we have not done with confessions yet. We have 
seen the fair side of the subject, in the light in which 
papists themselves present it. Injustice to the cause of 
truth would be done if the subject were here dismissed, 
A few well attested facts, presenting the dark shades of 
this picture, will now be stated ; relying on the candor 
and patience of the reader that the demands of truth and 
duty in the case will be deemed a sufficient apology : 
" Mr. John Gordon, a native of Scotland, was, in his 
youth and against his will, sent to a popish seminary in 
the Highlands, and afterwards to the Scotch college in 
Paris, to be educated for the priesthood. Having no 
means of escape, for a long time he was obliged to con- 
form to all the rules of the college. At length, however, 
he escaped, and returning to Scotland, renounced popery 
and embraced the protestant religion before the presby- 
tery of Edinburgh. In his narrative, speaking of con- 
fessions, he says : — l After this, we were sent to our 
chambers to begin an examination of our consciences. 
Paper, pen, and ink, were given us, that we might write 
down all the sins we could think of. When they had 
given us sufficient time for examination, then they gave 
us some prayers to say, for obtaining contrition and sor- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 185 

row for our sins ; after which, Mr. was placed in 

the confessional, to hear our several accounts. I must 
confess these proceedings did not well digest with me, 
but I was too well secured either to make off or disobey. 
So to the confessional I went, where I must own there 
was not a corner of my conscience that was not pretty 
well sifted by the impertinent interrogations he made, 
by which I learned more sins than ever I had heard of 
when conversant in the world. However, I came pretty 
well off, for the only penance I had imposed upon me, 
was to repeat every day, for two weeks, the seven psalms 
which are called penitential. And because I had aposta- 
tized from them, (which he called the sin against the Holy 
Ghost,) he ordered me to sleep in my clothes for the above 
mentioned time. I became acquainted with several con- 
fessors, and particularly with one Mr. Holdar, who was 
confessor to most of the English nuns in the monastery 
of Zion, by St. Victors. All our conversation ran upon 
the different stories he heard in confession, and of the 
nuns' scruples of conscience, which I am ashamed to re- 
hearse. So that I would advise these ladies either to 
forbear frequenting confession, or at least to make choice 
of a discreet confessor. It is the ordinary discourse of 
the priests, when they meet, to inform each other what 
they have heard in confession, and how dexterously they 
behaved on those occasions. This I can assert, because 
I was often present at such conferences, where the con- 
versation was so indecent that even an honest pagan 
would have blushed.' The confessional or conces- 
sionary is the place where confession is made, where the 
priest sits in a chair in the darkest part of the chapel. 
The chairs generally have an iron grate at each side, but 
none at all before. On some days of devotion, or on a 
great festival, there is such a crowd of people, that you 
may see three penitents at once about the chair, one at 
each grate, and the other at the door, though only one 
confessing at a time, whispering in the confessor's ear, 
16* 



186 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

that the others should not hear what is said. When one 
has done, another begins. But generally, they confess 
in front of the chair, one after another, for thus the con- 
fessor has the opportunity of knowing the penitent. 
And if any ladies, from bashfulness or modesty, endeavor 
to hide their faces with a fan or veil, yet they will he dis- 
covered by the confessor, who, if curious, will by crafty 
questions bring them to tell their names and houses, and 
this in the very act of confession ; or else he examines 
their faces when confession is over, while the penitents 
are kissing his hand or sleeve. And if he cannot know 
them in this way, he goes himself to give the sacrament, 
and then, every one being obliged to uncover the face, 
each person is known by the confessor, who does this 
not without a private design, as will appear at the end of 
some private confessions." The priests can very easily 
accommodate themselves to persons and circumstances, 
so as to treat some with great lenity, and others with 
as great severity, just as one or the other will answer 
their purpose. If a poor countryman goes to confess, 
the confessor takes little pains with him, for he expects 
little or nothing from him. If a soldier goes to make 
his peace with God, (for so they speak of confession,) 
then the confessor showeth the power of a spiritual guide. 
He questions him particularly about theft, drunkenness, 
and uncleanness. If he is guilty of one, the confessor 
draws the inference that he is guilty of the rest ; and 
terrifying him with the devils and flames of hell, he 
charges him to make restitution, and that he must pay 
so much money for the relief of the souls in purgatory, 
or he cannot obtain absolution. A month's pay must be 
given on the spot, (for absolution is a cash article,) to ap- 
pease the confessor and obtain pardon. If a collegian 
goes to confess, he finds a mild and sweet confessor ; and 
without being questioned, and with a small penance, he 
obtains absolution. In this case the confessor is called a 
deaf confessor, because, as if he did not hear, he gives 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 187 

small penance, little correction, and never denies absolu- 
tion. One such confessor has more business in lent than 
twenty others. All the great and habitual sinners go to 
the deaf confessor, who gives, upon agreement for so 
much, a certificate, in which he says that such an one has 
fulfilled the commandment of the church ; for every per- 
son is obliged to produce a certificate of confession to the 
minister of the parish before Easter, or be exposed in the 
church. So, as it is a hard thing for an old sinner to get 
absolution and a certificate from other covetous confes- 
sors, without a great deal of money, they generally go 
to the deaf confessors. But such confessors must give 
two thirds of their income to the convent to which they 
belong. Two such confessors paid in one lent to the 
father of the convent, six hundred pistoles apiece. If a 
modest, serious, religious lady comes to confession, the 
confessor treats her in a different manner ; for he knows 
that such ladies never come to confession without giving 
liberally for masses. His care, then, is to ingratiate 
himself into her favor, and gain her confidence. This 
he does by making a show of his goodness and devotion. 
He speaks gravely and conscientiously, and if she has 
a family, he gives her good advice for the management 
of her household, and to keep her children within the 
bounds of sobriety and decency in this deceitful world> 
By such means he gains confidence, and becomes the 
guide of her soul, and of her family ; which confidence, 
when occasion serves, he fails not to use to his advantage, 
and most commonly for the ruin of the children, and 
often of the lady herself. Particular examples of this 
kind are mentioned by authors, and might be here re- 
corded. But it may be better to present the general as- 
pects of this practice, as the statement will then be less 
liable to the charge of partiality. The crime of solicitant 
became so common and public in Spain at a certain pe- 
riod, that the pope was compelled to issue a bull against 
it. Solicitant is a priest, who, at the time of confession, 



188 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

solicits persons to indecent acts. The following are the 
words of the bull relative to this subject : — " Whereas, 
certain ecclesiastics in the kingdom of Spain and the dio- 
cesses and cities thereof, having the care of souls, or ex- 
ercising this care for others, or otherwise deputed to hear 
the confessions of penitents, have broken out into such 
heinous acts of iniquity, as to abuse the sacrament of 
penance, in the very act of hearing confessions, not fear- 
ing to injure the same sacrament, and him who instituted 
it, our Lord God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, by enticing 
and provoking, or trying to entice and provoke, females 
to lewd actions, at the very time when they were making 
their confessions." 

When this bull was introduced into Spain, the inqui- 
sitors published a solemn edict in all the churches in the 
archbishopric of Seville, that any person knowing or 
having heard of any friar or priest's having abused the 
sacrament of confession, or in any manner having im- 
properly conducted himself, during the confession of a 
female penitent, should make a discovery thereof within 
thirty days to the holy tribunal, on penalty of very heavy 
censures for neglect. When this edict was published, 
such a number of females crowded to the palace of the 
inquisitor, only in the city of Seville, to complain of the 
conduct of their confessors, that twenty notaries and as 
many inquisitors were appointed to minute down their 
several informations. But these being found insufficient, 
to receive the depositions of so many witnesses, and the 
inquisitors being overwhelmed with the pressure, thirty 
days more were allowed, and this period proving inade- 
quate, a similar extension of the season was granted a 
third and fourth time. The ladies of rank and noble 
families had a difficult part to act on this occasion. On 
the one hand was a religious fear of incurring the threat- 
ened censures. This goaded their consciences so as to 
compel them to the disclosure. On the other hand, a 
regard to their husbands, whom they feared to offend, by 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 189 

furnishing reasons of suspicion respecting their private 
conduct. To obviate these difficulties, they had recourse 
to the measure of covering their faces with a veil, ac- 
cording to the fashion of Spain, and thus went to the in- 
quisitors, in the most secret manner they could adopt. 
Very few, however, escaped the vigilance of their hus- 
bands, who, on being informed of the discoveries and 
accusations made by their wives, were filled with suspi- 
cions ! And yet, after all this parade of examination, 
and this accumulated proof, the holy tribunal, contrary 
to general expectation, put an end to the business, by 
ordering that all these transactions should thenceforth be 
consigned to perpetual oblivion. In doing this they 
made themselves partakers of the guilt, and fixed the 
stain indelibly on the cause of popery. The wives had 
still to bear the effrontery and insults of their confessors, 
and the husbands, poor helpless souls, must sit down 
contented with what popish priests were disposed to 
grant them. 

A popish priest, in his dying confession, according to 
Mr. Gavin, acknowledged that, for twelve years, he be- 
longed to a club of priests, six in number, residing in 
contiguous parishes. "Every one," he said, " had a list 
of the handsomest women in his parish. And when 
they had a fancy to see any one of them, the priest of the 
parish sent for her to his own house, under some religious 
pretext, and had her introduced to his brother priests. In 
this way," said he, " we have served each other for twelve 
years past. Our manner was to persuade their husbands 
and fathers not to hinder them any spiritual comfort, and 
to the ladies, to be subject to our advice and will, and we 
promised that in doing so, they should have liberty at 
any time to go out on pretence of communicating some 
spiritual business to the priest ; and if they refused to do 
it, then we would speak to their fathers or husbands not to 
let them go out at all ; or, what would be worse for them, we 
would inform against them to the holy tribunal of the in- 



190 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

quisition." Such are some of the tragical and moral abuses 
of auricular confession. But the transaction often as- 
sumes a very ludicrous and comical aspect. The chil- 
dren in each parish are expected to come to confession 
from seven years old, at least once in a year. For this pur- 
pose the priest of the parish fixes upon one day of the week r 
about the middle of lent, to hear the children's confessions, 
and gives notice to the congregation the Sunday before, 
that every father of a family may send his children, both 
boys and girls, to church on the day appointed. The 
mothers dress their children in their best for the occa- 
sion, and give them the offering money for the expiation 
of their sins. That afternoon is a holy day in the parish 
by custom ; for no parishioner, either old or young, man 
or woman, fails to go and hear the children's confessions. 
For it is reckoned among them a greater diversion than 
a comedy, as would appear from the following account. 

" The day appointed, the children repair to the church 
at 3 o'clock, where the priest is waiting for them, with a 
long reed in his hand ; and when all are together, the 
reverend father placeth them in a circle around himself, 
and then kneeling down, the children also doing the 
same, he makes the sign of the cross, and says a short 
prayer. This done, he exhorts the children to hide no 
sin from him, but to tell him all they ever committed. 
Then he touches with the reed the child who is first to 
confess, and asks him the following questions. How 
long is it since you last confessed ? Child. Father, a 
whole year, or the last lent. How many sins have you 
committed from that time till now 1 Child. Two dozen. 
{Here the confessor puts the question round.) And you? 
Child. A thousand and ten. Another will say a bag 
full of small lies, and ten big sins. And so one after 
another answers many such childish things. Confessor. 
But pray, you say you have committed ten big sins ; 
tell me how big ? Child. As big as a tree. Conf. But 
tell me the sins. Child. There is one sin I committed, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 191 

which I dare not tell your reverence before all the peo- 
ple; for somebody here will kill me if he hear it. Conf. 
Well then, come out of the circle and tell me, Then 
both go out, and with a loud voice, he tells him that 
such a day he stole a nest of sparrows from the tree of 
another boy, and that if he knew it he would kill him. 
Then both come again into the circle, and the holy fa- 
ther asks other boys and girls so many ridiculous ques- 
tions, and the children answer him so many pleasant 
things, that the congregation is kept in a laugh all the 
while. One will say that his sins are red, another that 
one of his sins is white, another black, and another 
green. In this trifling manner they spend two hours. 
When the congregation is weary of laughing, the con- 
fessor gives the children correction, and bids them not 
sin any more, for a black boy takes along with him the 
wicked children. Then he asks for the offering, and 
after he has got all their money, he gives them the 
penance for their sins. To one he says, I give you for 
penance to eat a sweet cake ; to another, to go to school 
the next day ; to another, to desire his mother to buy 
him a new hat ; and such things as these. Then pro- 
nouncing the words of absolution, he dismisses the as- 
sembly with an amen. This is repeated year after year. 
Such is the popish sacrament of confession. 

It still remains, under the head of penance, to say 
something of satisfaction, which is considered the third 
branch of penance. " Every species of satisfaction," says 
the popish catechism, "is included under these three, 
•prayer, fasting, and alms-deeds." The first of these re- 
spects God, and is easily gone through, by saying over 
so many Ave Marias, or hail Mary ; and so many pa- 
ter nosters, or our father. This is called prayer, and the 
efficacy of it depends on the number of times in which 
it is repeated. A small offender may get off with a few 
repetitions, but an old obstinate sinner, and especially 
one who has in any manner offended the priest, may 



192 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

have to repeat them thousan4s of times, and to count his 
beads that he may keep a correct account. But fasting 
is a more serious business. For this is rendered more 
efficacious by self-torture, or the voluntary infliction of 
suffering. And the power of description fails to depict 
the forms and variety of these self-tortures. They will 
be more particularly considered under the head of popish 
superstitions. For the present suffice it to say, that open 
the popish breviary, at any of the pages containing the 
lives of the saints, and you will find uninterrupted absti- 
nence from food, from ash Wednesday to Whitsunday, 
persevered in to admiration, and sanctioned too by the 
power of miracles. Sometimes satisfaction requires four 
years' confinement to a crevice of a rock, and every 
where the use of flagellation, lacerating bandages, iron 
chains about the body, immersions in freezing water, and 
every method of gradually and painfully destroying life. 
St. Theresa's ardor in punishing the body was so vehe- 
ment as to make her use hair shirts, nettles, scourges, 
and even to roll herself among thorns, regardless of 
a diseased constitution. St. Rose bore day and night, 
three folds of an iron chain about her waist, a belt set with 
small needles, and an iron crown, armed inside with 
points. She made to herself a bed of the unpolished 
trunks of trees, and filled up the interstices with pieces of 
broken pottery. These persons are held up as examples 
and patterns of piety. 

But the alms deeds, necessary for the satisfaction for 
sin, are the most difficult of all. For here the priest, in 
assigning the penance, does not forget that he has the 
bag, and bears all that is put therein. The poor sin- 
ner, if he has any money, must not expect to have his 
sins pardoned without the loss of the greater part. And 
if he has much money, or is in the way to get it, he may 
calculate at confession to have his pockets relieved of 
their burden. Money and women seem to constitute the 
grand desideratum with popish priests, and Solomon 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 193 

might with propriety, and probably, would if he had 
known them, have added them to his list of things which 
never say, " it is enough." 

Indulgences, have an intimate connection with the 
subject of this section. The theory of indulgences, has 
been already stated in the history of their prevalence, 
and some account given of their effects. All that need 
here be said, is that these indulgences, are merely a 
device to extort more money from those who confess, as 
a substitute for the requisitions of penance. If a man 
pays money enough, he may hire a monk to pray for 
him, and fast for him, and endure all his other punish- 
ments. So that by indulgences, the whole of penance 
for sin is turned into the payment of money. And as 
these indulgences in the feelings of papists, clear them 
from sin and all its consequences, it may be truly said, that 
popery buys and sells salvation as an article of traffic 
for money. This, whatever plausible theories may be 
advanced to the contrary, will be found by all who ex- 
amine the subject, the true state of the case. This doc- 
trine of penance, including confession and satisfaction, 
arms the popish priesthood with a tremendous power. 
It makes them directors of the consciences of men, and 
arms them with all the sanctions of eternal retribution, 
or at least, of indefinite retribution in purgatory, by 
which they compel obedience to their commands. The 
awful majesty of the priest in this case, may well affright 
the trembling penitent. He stands in the place of God 
to him, and holds, in his apprehension, the keys of hea- 
ven and hell. The following letter will show that this 
is not all chimera, but sober reality. The letter is from 
father La Chaise, confessor to Louis XIV. of France, to 
father Peters, confessor to James II., in England, in 
1688. It was taken from the manuscript papers in the 
library of Edward Harley, earl of Oxford. 

*■ Worthy friend, I received yours of the 20th of June 
last, and am glad to hear of your good success, and 
17 



194 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

that our party gains ground so fast in England ; but 
concerning the question you have put to me, that is, 
' What is the best course to be taken to root out all here- 
tics,' to this I answer, there are divers ways to do that, 
but we must consider which is the best to make use of 
in England. I am sure you are not ignorant how many 
thousand heretics, we have in France, by the power of 
our dragoons, converted in the space of one year ; and 
by the doctrine of these booted apostles, turned more in 
one year, than Christ and his apostles could in ten 
years. This is a most excellent method, and far excels 
those of the great preachers and teachers, that have 
lived since the time of Christ. But I have spoken with 
divers fathers of our Society, who do think that your 
king is not strong enough to accomplish this design by 
such kind of force ; so that we cannot expect to have 
our work done in that manner, for the heretics are too 
strong for the three kingdoms ; and, therefore, we must 
seek to convert them by fair means, before we fall 
upon them with fire and sword, halters, goals, and other 
such like punishments. And, therefore, I can give you 
no better advice than to begin with soft, easy means. 
Wheedle them by promises of profit and places of honor, 
till you have made them dip themselves into treasonable 
practices against the laws established, and then they are 
bound to serve from fear. When they have done thus, 
turn them out, and serve others so by putting them in 
their places, and by this way gain as many as you can. 
And for the heretics that are in places of profit and 
honor, turn them out, or suspend them on pretence of 
misbehaviour, by which their places are forfeited ; and 
they subject to what judgment you please to give upon 
them. Then you must form a camp that must consist 
of none but catholics. This will make the heretics 
heartless, and conclude that the means of relief and re- 
covery are gone. And lastly, take the short and the 
best way, which is to surprise the heretics on a sud- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 195 

den, and to encourage the zealous catholics, let them sa- 
crifice all, and wash their hands in their blood, which 
will be an acceptable offering to God. And this was 
the method I took in France, which hath well, you see, 
succeeded ; but it cost me many threats and promises, 
before I could bring it thus far ; our king being a long 
time very unwilling. But at last, I got him on the hip ; 

for he had the , for which I would by no means 

give him absolution, till he had given me an instrument 
under his own hand and seal, to sacrifice the heretics 
all in one day. Now, as soon as I had my desired com- 
mission, I appointed the day when this should be done ; 
and in the mean time, made ready some thousands of 
letters to be sent into all parts of France, in one post 
night. I was never better pleased than at that time. But 
the king was affected with some compassion for the Hu- 
gonots, because they had been a means of bringing him 
to his crown and throne ; and the longer he was under 
it, the more sorrowful he was, often complaining, and de- 
siring me to give him his commission again. But that I 
would by no persuasion do ; advising him to repent of 
that heinous sin, and also telling him, that the trouble and 
horror of his spirit, did not proceed from any thing evil 
in those things which were to be done, but from the 
wickedness he had done ; and that he must resolve to 
undergo the severe burden of a troubled mind, for one of 
them or for the other, and if he would remain satisfied 
as it was, his sin being forgiven, there would in a few 
days be a perfect atonement made for it, and be per- 
fectly reconciled to God again. But all this would not 
pacify him ; for the longer the more restless. I there- 
fore ordered him to retire to his closet, and spend his 
time constantly in prayer, without permitting any one to 
interrupt him ; and this was in the morning early, when 
in the evening I was to send away all my letters. I did 
indeed, make the more haste for fear he would disclose it 
to any body ; yet, I had given him strict charge to keep 



196 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

it to himself. And the very things which I most feared, 
to my great sorrow came to pass. For just at the nick 
of time, the devil, who hath at all times his instruments 
at work, sent the prince of Conde, to the court, who 
asked for the king. He was told that he was in his 
closet and would speak with no man. He impudently 
answered, that he must and would speak with him, and 
so went directly to his closet, he heing a great peer, no 
man durst hinder him. And being come to the king, 
he soon perceived by his countenance that he was under 
some great trouble of mind, for he looked as if he had 
been going into the other world immediately. ' Sire, 
said he, what is the matter with you V The king at the 
first refused to tell him, but he pressing harder upon 
him, at last, the king with a sorrowful complaint burst 
out and said, ' I have given father La Chaise, a com- 
mission under my hand to murder all the Hugonots in 
one day, and this evening will the letters be despatched 
to all parts, by the post, for performing of it ; so that 
there is but a small time left for my Hugonot subjects to 
live, who have never done me any harm.' Whereupon 
this cursed rogue answered, let him give you your com- 
mission again. The king said how shall I get it out of 
his hand ? For if I send to him for it he will refuse to 
send it. This devil answered, if your majesty will give 
me an order, I will quickly make him return it. The 
king was soon persuaded, being willing to give ease to 
his troubled spirit, and said, ' well go then, and break 
his neck if he will not give it you.' Whereupon this 
son of the devil, went to the post-house and inquired if 
I had not a great number of letters there 1 And they 
said yes, more than I had sent in a whole year before. 
Then said the prince, by an order from the king you 
must deliver them all to me, which they durst not deny, 
for they knew well enough who he was. And no sooner 
was he got into the post-house and asked these questions, 
than I came in also after him, to give order to the post- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 197 

master, to give notice to all those under him in the several 
parts of the kingdom, that they should take care to de- 
liver my letters with all the speed imaginable. But I 
was no sooner entered the house, but he gave his ser- 
vants orders to secure the door, and said confidently to 
me, you must, by order from the king, give me the com- 
mission which you have forced from him. I told him I 
had it not about me, but would go and fetch it, thinking 
to get from him and so get out of town, and send the 
contents of these letters another time. But he said, you 
must give it, and if you have it not about you, send 
somebody to fetch it, or else never expect to go alive out 
of my hands. For I have an order from the king, either 
to fetch it or break your neck, and I am resolved, either 
to carry that back to him in my hand, or else your 
heart's blood on the point of my sword. I would have 
made my escape, but he set his sword to my breast, and 
said, you must give it me or die, therefore deliver it, or 
this goes through your body. So when I saw nothing 
else would do, I put my hand in my pocket and gave it 
him, which he carried immediately to the king, and gave 
him that and all my letters which they burned. And 
being all done, the king said, now his heart was at ease. 
Now how he should be eased by the devil, or so well sa- 
tisfied with a false joy I cannot tell ; but this I know 
that it was a very wicked and ungodly action, as well in 
his majesty, as in the prince of Conde, and very much 
increased the burden and danger of his majesty's sins. 
I soon gave account of this affair to several fathers of 
our society, who promised to do their best, to prevent the 
aforesaid prince's doing another such act, which was ac- 
cordingly done. For within six days he was poisoned, 
and well he deserved it. The king also did suffer too, 
but in another fashion, for disclosing the design unto the 
prince and hearkening to his councils. Many a time 
since, when I have had him at confession, have I shook 
hell about his ears, and made him sigh, fear and tremble, 
17* 



198 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

before I would give him absolution ; nay, more than 
that, I have made him beg for it on his knees, before I 
would consent to absolve him. By this I saw that he 
had still an inclination to me, and was willing to be under 
my government, so I set the baseness of bis sin before 
him, by telling the whole story, and how wicked it was, 
and that it could not be forgiven till he had done some 
good action to balance that and expiate the crime. 
Whereupon he at last asked me what he must do ? I 
told him he must root out all the heretics from his king- 
dom. So when he saw there was no rest for him 
without doing it, he did again give them all into the 
power of me and our clergy, under this condition, that 
we should not murder them, as he had before given 
orders, but that we should, by fair means or force, convert 
them to the catholic religion. Now when we got the 
commission, we presently put it in practice, and what 
the issue hath been, you very well know. But now in 
England the work cannot be done after this manner, as 
you may perceive from what I have said to you, so that 
I cannot give you better counsel than to take that course 
in hand, wherein we were so unhappily prevented, and 
I doubt not but it may have better success with you than 
with us. 

" I would write to you of many other things, but I fear 
I have already detained you too long, wherefore I will 
write no more at present, but that I am 

Your friend and servant, 
Paris, July 8, 1688. La Chaise." 

Such is the power committed to the hands of a few 
popish priests, by what they call the sacrament of penance. 
Certainly it is one of the very worst features of popery. 
And those who can be reconciled to it, can be to any 
thing deceitful, inhuman, and diabolical. Perhaps some 
one may ask, why not flee from such influence at once ? 
Do not some papists perceive the thraldom in which they 
live, and if so, why do they remain a day, or submit to 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 199 

its tyranny 1 In reply to this inquiry, which is a very 
natural one for those who do not fully understand the 
toils of popery, the following letter from one who felt a de- 
sire to escape, and yet found it impracticable, may be of use. 
"If every true born Italian, man, woman, and child, 
within the pope's dominions, does not confess and receive 
the communion, at least once a year, before Easter, his 
name is posted up in the parish church ; if he still refrain, 
he is exhorted, entreated, and otherwise tormented ; and if 
he persist in his contumacy, he is excommunicated, which 
is a very good joke to us, (English,) but none at all to the 
Italian, since it involves the loss of civil rights, and per- 
haps of liberty and property, (if not of life.) Every 
Italian must at this time, (before Easter) confess and re- 
ceive the communion. A friend of ours, who has lived 
a great deal in foreign countries, and there imbibed very 
heterodox notions, and who has never made any secret to 
us, of his confirmed infidelity of Catholicism, went 
to-day to confession with the strongest repugnance. 
What can I do ? he said. If I neglect it, I am repri- 
manded by the parish priest ; if I delay it, my name is 
posted up in the parish church ; if I persist in my con- 
tumacy, the arm of the church w T ill overtake me, and 
my rank and fortune only serve to make me more ob- 
noxious to its power. If I choose to make myself a 
martyr to infidelity, as the saints of old did to religion, 
and suffer the extremity of punishment in the loss of 
property and personal rights, what is to be become of my 
wife and family ? The same ruin would overtake them 
though they are catholics ; for I am obliged, not only to 
conceal my true belief, and profess what I despise, but I 
must bring up my children in their abominable idolatries 
and superstitions, or, if I teach them the truth, make 
them hypocrites or beggars." " I shall not enter into the 
soundness of my friend's arguments, or defend the recti- 
tude of his conduct. But certainly the alternative is a 
hard one, and I believe there are thousands whose virtue 



200 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

would not be proof against it. For this reason he would 
not live a single day in Italy if he could get out of it, 
but that is net in his power." 

The mystery after all is, how any man of sense and 
independence can value his wife, or family, or property, 
in popish countries ; when neither one nor the other is 
at his command or enjoyment, only so far as the priests 
permit. And here the subject will be left to the serious 
reflections of the reader. 

5. Mass. 

The mass is the communion service, or consecration 
and administration of the sacramental supper. High 
mass is the same service, accompanied with all the cere- 
monies which custom and authority have annexed to its 
celebration. The origin of the term is this. In the 
early ages of the church, the congregation was dis- 
missed by the officiating minister by saying, ita missa est, 
that is, the congregation is dismissed before the celebra- 
tion of the Lord's supper, so that none but communicants 
might be suffered to remain. In process of time, the 
solemn service to be performed, was in consequence of 
this practice called the " missa est," or the dismissal ; 
and finally, by contraction, the mass. The peculiarity 
of the mass as a doctrine of popery is. that the celebra- 
tion of the Lord's supper is not a commemoration of the 
death and sacrifice of Christ upon the cross, but that it is 
itself a renewed and real sacrifice of Christ, an actual 
offering of his body and blood by the hands of the priest. 
For this, it will be seen, the doctrine of transubstantiation 
prepares the way. The mass is then regarded by all 
true papists as a real sacrifice of Christ, as really such 
as when he was crucified. The following decrees of the 
council of Trent will explain the popish views of this 
ceremony, viz. 1. Of the institution of the most holy sa- 
crifice of the mass. "Since there was no perfection 
under the first testament, as the apostle Paul testifies, be- 
cause of the weakness of the Levitical priesthood, it 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 201 

behoved God, the father of mercies, to ordain that 
another priest should arise, after the order of Melchi- 
sedek, even our Lord Jesus Christ, who might complete 
and bring- to perfection as many as should be sanctified. 
He therefore, our God and Lord, when about to offer 
himself once for all to God the Father, by his death on 
the altar of the cross, that there he might accomplish 
eternal redemption, knowing that his priesthood was not 
to be abolished by death, in the last supper, on the night 
in which he was betrayed, declared himself to be consti- 
tuted a priest forever, after the order of Melchisedek ; 
offered his body and blood to God the Father, under the 
species of bread and wine, and by these symbols deli- 
vered the same to be received by his apostles, whom he 
then appointed priests of the new testament, and com- 
manded them and their successors in the priesthood to 
offer the same, saying, ' This do for a commemoration 
of me.' Thus the catholic church always understood 
and taught this doctrine. And this the Saviour did, that 
he might leave to his beloved spouse the church, a visible 
sacrifice, such as human nature required, by which the 
bloody sacrifice made on the cross might be represented, 
the memory thereof preserved to the end of the world, 
and its salutary virtue applied for the remission of those 
sins which are daily committed by us. For, as the 
Israelites of old sacrificed the passover, in memory of 
their departure from Egypt, so the Redeemer instituted 
a new passover, wherein he is himself sacrificed by the 
church through the priests under visible signs. Finally, 
this is the sacrifice which was figuratively represented 
by the various sacrifices offered in the times of nature 
and of the law ; since it includes every good which was 
signified by them, and is the consummation and perfection 
of them all. 2. '* The sacrifice of the mass is propitia- 
tory both for the living and the dead. And since the 
same Christ, who once offered himself by his blood on 
the altar of the cross, is contained in this divine sacrifice, 



202 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

which is celebrated in the mass, and offered without 
blood, the holy council teaches that this sacrifice is really- 
propitiatory, and made by Christ himself. For assuredly 
God is appeased by this oblation, bestows grace and the 
gift of repentance, and forgives all crimes and sins, how 
great soever ; for the sacrifice which is now offered by 
the ministry of the priests, is one and the same as that 
which Christ then offered on the cross, only the mode of 
offering is different. Wherefore it is properly offered 
according to apostolic tradition, (not the divine word) 
not only for the sins, punishments, and satisfactions, 
and other necessities of living believers, but also for the 
dead in Christ, who are not yet thoroughly purified, 
(i. e. in purgatory.) 5. Of the solemn ceremonies of the 
sacrifice of the mass. " Seeing that such is the nature 
of man, that he cannot easily be raised to the contem- 
plation of divine things without external aid, holy mother 
church has instituted certain rites, as for instance, that 
some parts of the mass should be spoken in a low tone 
of voice, others in a louder. Ceremonies are also used, 
such as mystical benedictions, lights, incense, vestments, 
and others of the same kind, gathered from apostolic dis- 
cipline and tradition, whereby the majesty of this great 
sacrifice is set forth, and by these visible signs of religion 
and piety, the minds of the fahhful are excited to the con- 
templation of deep truths, which are therein contained." 
Of the truth of this latter remark the reader will be better 
able to judge when he comes to see what these ceremo- 
nies are. That they will excite human nature is unques- 
tionable ; but they will excite any thing sooner than piety. 
It may be gratifying to the reader, before proceeding to 
a view of the ceremonies of the mass, to have a speci- 
men of the argument employed in support of this doc- 
trine. Melchior Cornelio, a Portuguese divine, reasoned 
thus : — " The devil is constantly endeavoring to alienate 
the minds of heretics from the mass, therefore the mass 
is not an abomination, as Luther affirms, because the 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 203 

devil does not hate abominations, but cherishes them." 
One might turn this argument to a little better purpose, 
thus : The devil is constantly leading papists to the sac- 
rifice of the mass; therefore, the mass is an abomina- 
tion ; for whatever the devil cherishes, is an abomina- 
tion. Which argument is best founded ? If any doubt 
shall remain in any mind whether the papists consider 
the mass as a real sacrifice of the body and blood of 
Christ, rather than a representation, the following passage 
from their catechism will probably remove that doubt : — 
" We therefore confess that the sacrifice of the mass is 
one and the same sacrifice with that of the cross ; the 
victim is one and the same, Christ Jesus, who offered 
himself once only, a bloody sacrifice upon the cross. 
The bloody and unbloody victim is still one and the 
same, and the oblation of the cross is daily renewed in 
the eucharistic sacrifice, in obedience to the command of 
our Lord. The priest is also the same, Christ our 
Lord ; the ministers who offer this sacrifice consecrate 
the holy mysteries, not in their own, but in the person of 
Christ. That the holy sacrifice of the mass, therefore, 
is not only a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, or 
commemoration of the sacrifice of the cross, but also a 
sacrifice of propitiation, by which God is appeased and 
rendered propitious, the pastor will teach as a dogma de- 
fined by the unerring authority of a general council of 
the church." 

The following prayer is presented at the oblation of 
the host (or sacred elements) : — " Accept, O holy Father, 
almighty and eternal God, this unspotted host, which I, 
thy unworthy servant, offer unto thee, my living and true 
God, for my innumerable sins, offences, and negligences, 
and for all here present, as also for all faithful Christians, 
both living and dead, that it may avail, both for me and 
them, to life everlasting. Amen." The following may 
be added from popish authorities : — " May the interces- 
sion, we beseech thee, Lord, of bishop Peter thy apos- 



204 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

tie, render the prayers and offerings of thy church ac- 
ceptable to thee, that the mysteries we celebrate in his 
honor may obtain for us the pardon of our sins." The 
offerings here mentioned is Christ himself in the mass, and 
the prayer is that the Redeemer's sacrifice may avail to pro- 
cure the pardon of sins through the intercessions of Peter. 
That is, Christ is offered, and becomes acceptable through 
Peter. Is not this making the servant greater than his 
Lord ? Is it, in a word, any thing less than blasphemy 1 
We now proceed to view the ceremonies of the mass. 
They are thus described by a late writer :* — " The mass 
includes almost the whole of the Roman Catholic (popish) 
worship, its singular antic gestures, and an endless inven- 
tion of ceremonies. Hence, going to mass includes nearly 
all a Roman's (papist's) religion and piety. It is the 
grand test of discipleship, and the evidence of wearing 
the mark of the beast in the hands and in the face. Now, 
were we to view the mass as a comparatively innocent 
innovation, a mere idle ceremony, we should not say 
much of it. But it is that which (popery) has substi- 
tuted for THE ONE ONLY AND PERFECT ATONEMENT 

of Christ. It is a horrible invention, and the sub- 
stitute Of OUr BLESSED REDEEMER'S PERFECT RIGHTE- 
OUSNESS. It takes the entire place of the one only 
and blessed Saviour. And it excludes his "finished 
work of satisfaction on the cross," as completely as does 
the Koran of Mohammed exclude our Lord from the 
Mosque. And our proof of this strong assertion is this. 
The mass, as (papists) solemnly profess it to be, is the 
offering up of a sacrifice of human flesh and human 
blood, for the sins of the quick and the dead, to pacify 
God. And this substitute of our Redeemer's atonement 
is not only a horrid anti-christian piece of idolatry ami 
superstition, as we have in former letters shown, it is a 
show at which grave Christians cannot but smile ; and 

* Rev. Dr. Brownlee, N. Y. 



HISTORY OF POPERY, 205 

thus, in the language of the motto, it exhibits ' fables 
worthy of laughter and of tears.' The mass, as viewed 
by a spectator, may be said to consist of five divisions. 
The first we may call the robing of the bishop in his 
pontificals, which must afford a highly intellectual and 
spiritual feast of soul to the spectators, and — worshippers 
— shall I call them ? The bishop enters the chapel in a 
woollen pontifical cope, which has its tail borne up by a 
chaplain ; and going to the altar, he kneels down and 
says the l Introibo, I will go in, 5 &c. He then goes 
to the place where the paramenta, or robes and orna- 
ments, are placed, and seats himself, surrounded by the 
proper quota of chaplains and deacons, one of whom acts 
as his prompter, to tell him what to say, and to point with 
his finger to the place in the book where he is to read ; 
near them lie the various paraphernalia and sacred ves- 
sels. The attendants having duly put on their sanctified 
copes and surplices, the bishop rises, and turning towards 
the altar, says the Lord's prayer secretly ; then, crossing 
himself from his brow to his breast, he says, ' God be 
my helper.' And while the choir responds, he turns 
towards the altar, between two bearers of wax candles, 
and says, ' The Lord be with you,' and other prayers. 
Then gravely laying aside his pluvial or cope, he takes 
the ornament called his planet, and approaches, the altar, 
and sits down, while the psalm of the hours is being 
sung. During the singing, the holy sandals are brought 
out, one deacon lifts up the corner of his cope, while an- 
other takes oflT the holy man's shoes ; then uttering cer- 
tain prayers, he at last says, ' Shoe me with the sandals 
of gladness.' The dutiful deacon then puts on the con- 
secrated sandals. And thus he answers his prayer. 
Then standing up, he says, * O Lord, strip the old man 
off* me.' The scutiferus, or shield-bearer, answers this 
prayer by stripping him of his flowing cope. Then 
looking at his hands, he says, 4 O Lord, give virtue to my 
hands.' This grace is answered by another, bringing a 
18 



206 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

basin of water to wash his hands while he sits. The 
towel and basin are held by the most honorable and ex* 
alted layman, who, throwing himself on his knees, and 
pouring out a little water into the basin, sips and tastes 
it. Meanwhile, another of the ghostly menials is taking 
the consecrated rings off the bishop's fingers ; and then 
the distinguished layman, rendered immortal by this 
honor allowed him, with the aid of a deacon, washes the 
holy bishop's hands, and dries them, and then carries 
back the basin and towel to the credentia. The bishop's 
feet being shod with the gospel preparation by putting on 
sandals, and the old man being put off him by pulling 
off his old woollen cope, and having washed his hands 
in virtue and innocence by getting them washed in wa- 
ter, he approaches the robes and says, ' O Lord, put on 
me the helmet of salvation.' At this signal the para- 
menta, or robes and ornaments, are all brought forward 
with sanctimonious grimace — fifteen in number. The 
bishop approaches, bows, and kisses five of them, viz., 
the amictus, the pectoral, the cross, the stole, and the pall. 
All these the deacons receive from the chaplains, one by 
one, and put upon the bishop. And first, with holy so- 
lemnity, they take the amictus, and having all kissed it, 
they put it over the bishop's head, and fix it on him. His 
head being thus ajrned with the shield of salvation, he 
stands up and says, ' O Lord, clothe me in white.' Upon 
this they put on the white surplice. Then he utters an- 
other prayer, while all the people look on with wonderful 
edification and blessed instruction, saying,. ' O Lord, gird 
me with the girdle of faith.' On this, in answer to his 
humble and devout prayer, the ghostly menials take his 
girdle, and place it round his holy corporation, and 
buckle it in front. Then addressing the cross, the bishop 
thus prays, ' Deign, O Lord, to fortify me.' On this, the 
deacon, in his sacred functions, takes the cross, and hold- 
ing it up to the bishop to be kissed, hangs it round his 
neck, so as to make it rest upon his pure breast. Next, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 207 

the bishop, in his very holy devotions, says to the stole, 
* O Lord, give me the robe of immortality.' The dea- 
con, whose office it is to answer this solemn prayer, now 
puts on the robe, nicely adjusting it, as a mantua-maker's 
maid would do, on his sacred body. Next, the saintly 
man prays, as he looks on the tunicella, or little coat, 
1 Put me in the coat of jucundity, and clothe me, O Lord, 
with the garment of joy.' Here they put it on him, fit- 
ting it, with mantua-maker like exactness, to his holy 
neck and holy hands. He next prays thus, 'O Lord, 
clothe me with the garment of salvation.' Here they 
put on him the Dalmatick, or Episcopal vestment, with 
tasteful exactness. The holy man next fixes his devout 
eyes on the gloves, and prays, ' Clothe my hands, O Lord, 
with the purity of the new man.' On this, the deacon, 
whose office it is to answer all these devout prayers, first 
kisses his right hand, and then puts a glove on it ; 
then kisses the left, and puts a glove on it ; and so 
clothes his hands with heavenly purity. This being 
over, the bishop prays another new prayer, saying, ' O 
Lord, thy yoke is easy.' On this, the spiritual menials, 
who are illuminating the congregation by this display, 
take the bishop's ornament called the planet, and bring 
it back so as to give his arms full exercise. The pall is 
next brought ; the deacon takes a hold of it by the cross 
on the right side, and the subdeacon, by the cross on the 
left side, and hold forth the cross in the middle, that the 
bishop may kiss it. Then they put it round his neck, 
making that part of it on the left shoulder to lie double, 
and the whole is so tastefully and so taylor-like put round 
his neck, that his arms are not hindered. Then comes 
the putting on of the three thorns with their jewels. 
This, none but the sanctified and initiated can well de- 
scribe. The first thorn goes into the breast of the pall, 
the second into the cross on the left shoulder, and the 
third into the cross behind. And these thorns, by the 
orthodox dressing, must not go quite through the cross ! 



208 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

It is a great thing to be orthodox here. After this, the 
good bishop, speaking to the mitre, says, by the way 
of prayer, ' Put on me, O Lord, the mitre, and the helmet 
of salvation.' Here he sits down, and the dutiful, busy 
deacon, devoutly puts the mitre on the bishop's head, the 
sub-deacon as devoutly holding up the ribbons that hang 
from it. The bishop sitting, then prays, ' Decorate with 
virtue, O Lord, the fingers of my hand and body.' Here 
the deacons, in consummating his devout prayer, put the 
rings on his fingers. Next the gremial, a rich piece of 
silk to be held by two priests between the bishop and the 
people when he says mass, is laid on his lap. This 
done, he prays to the manipulum. Then the cloth, called 
by this name, is laid across his arm. 

" At this stage of the religious manoeuvre, the incense is 
prepared in the proper vessel, with about one dozen ges- 
ticulations and contortions. Then, with a nicely ar- 
ranged procession, the bishqp comes to the steps of the 
altar and makes a full halt. Here the deacon takes off 
his mitre, and combs and smooths down his hair. Then 
follows the confession of each of this holy confraternity. 
The bishop, bowing reverentially to the altar, begins the 
confession of his sins. The deacon, kissing the bishop's 
left hand, goes up to the altar with the manipulum, and 
the gospel open in his right hand. The bishop next, 
with suitable prayers, goes up to the altar and kisses it 
with deep solemnity, and also the book of the gospels. 
Having next approached the horn of the epistle, he takes 
the incense pot, puts incense in it, and causes the cloud of 
smoke to cover the altar. This holy and edifying ser- 
vice is done thus. Having adored with profound reve- 
rence the image on the cross, he whirls the pot of in- 
cense three times round it, then he whirls the pot twice 
round the image and sacred relics on the right, and then 
around those on the left as often. Next he gives three 
holy swingings of the pot round the image and relics 
near the corner of the epistle ; and as many he gives to 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 209 

ihe corner of the gospel. He then delivers the pot to the 
deacon, who swings it round the bishop himself, and 
smokes him effectually. After a number of other edify- 
ing gestures and motions, the bishop is helped up by the 
arms, as if he were suddenly become paralytic, and being 
on his legs, he as suddenly gets whole, and standing 
sturdily on his legs, he says, ' Glory to God,' taking 
care to join his hands on his breast at the word God. 
While the choir sings a hymn, he has his mitre and gre- 
mial brought to him ; they are again taken off him, -as 
the hymn ends. He is again helped on his legs by the 
sturdy deacons, and he cries out to the people, ' 'peace be 
unto you, 1 and he keeps his hands before his breast until 
the edified and devout audience reply, 'and with thy 
Spirit. 1 He then says .let us pray ; and then goes on 
with his prayer in Latin, to console and edify those who 
do not understand one word of what is mumbled by him. 
After an incredible number of similar gestures, and the 
burning of incense, and kissing of the bishop's hands, 
and bowing, and reading what they call the gospel, and 
after the bishop has been again perfumed with incense 
smoke, and has stood up without mitre and gremial, he 
sits down to listen to a sermon. The preacher comes 
up, and on his knees adores the bishop, kisses his hand, 
and asks his blessing. This he freely gives by making 
the sign of the cross over him. That finished, with 
much gesture and bowing the preacher gives the bishop 
his absolution. 

"Second. The bishop or priest sings five psalms, then 
uncovers, combs down his hair, and washes his hands. 
Next comes the sprinkling of holy water, and singing of 
the introitus, as the bishop approaches the altar. After 
a great many gestures again adroitly performed, there is 
much chanting. A linen cloth, full of pictures, is carried 
as a canopy over the bishop, by four sturdy ecclesiastics. 
Here again follow incense and chanting. There is the 
gradual and the hallelujah, and the tractus, so called 
18* 



210 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

from the long drawling tone and nasal twanging of the 
priests, affecting much sorrow as they sing it. 

" The third part, is the consecration, more properly so 
called. The gestures, and particularly the bowings and 
adoration here, are not easily recounted. The sub-dea- 
con puts on a long veil ; takes the patine, with two choice 
hosts, or wafers, and the chalice, and covering them with 
the veil, goes up with them to the altar, following the 
bishop. Another brings the wine and water. The 
bishop now puts on his episcopal ring and mitre, and 
comes to the altar. At the altar his mitre is taken off 
and he adores with lowly bowing to the altar. The 
deacon now takes one of the hosts, and touching the pa- 
tine and chalice with it, inside and outside, makes the 
sub-deacon taste of it. The other host he offers to the 
bishop, who takes it with both hands, and holding it up 
before his breast, repeats the prayer, ' O Lord accept it,' 
&c. This is called the offertory, from its being offered 
to God, and from the priest's making an offering of gifts 
to the priests. The priest, before he offers the host, 
washes his hands a second time. In the interim the dea- 
con throws over the altar a clean linen cloth called a 
corporate or palla, because they say it covers Christ's 
body. The chalice is also covered with another palla. 
The deacon having presented the patina, with the host 
upon it, to the bishop, also presents the chalice, in which 
the priest mixes wine and water and consecrates it. In 
the consecration the water only is blessed by the priest 
when mixed, not the wine, because the wine they say 
represents Christ, who needs no blessing. The host is 
placed on the altar, between the people and the priest, to 
intimate that Christ is mediator between God, who, they 
say, is represented by the priest, and the people, which 
the water in the chalice, as they imagine, represents. 
The priest again perfumes the altar and sacrifice three 
times in the manner of a cross, bows himself, and kisses 
the altar, and repeats very softly the prayer which they 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 211 

call secreta. Though this prayer is said in silence, yet 
the conclusion of it is uttered in a loud voice, per omnia 
secula seculorum. Then follows what they call prefatio, 
which begins with thanksgiving, and ends with the con- 
fession of God's majesty. The minds of the people are 
prepared with these words, ' Lift up your hearts? The 
answer to which is, * We lift them up unto the Lord/ 
Then is sung the hymn, ■ Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, 
&c. Heaven and earth is full of thy glory.' Then fol- 
lows the hymn hosanna, and the canon, which is also 
called actio, because it is a giving of thanks, which is 
uttered with a. loud voice. The canon, besides thanks- 
giving, consists of various prayers for the pope, cardinals, 
bishops, kings, all orthodox Christians, gentiles, and 
Jews. Those also are particularly remembered for 
whom the sacrifice is to be offered, and their names re- 
hearsed. Prayer is also made for those that be present 
at the mass, and for the bishop himself. Then mention 
is made of the virgin, the apostles, the evangelists and 
martyrs, and many crossings follows then the solemnity 
of the consecration of the host, by pronouncing aloud 
these words, * Hoc est corpus meum.' To this the peo- 
ple answer, « amen? The priest now falls down on his 
knees before the consecrated host, and worships it, offers 
prayers to it, and rising up he elevates it that it may be 
worshipped by the people. Then, after seven several 
crossings of the host and chalice, this part of the mass is 
concluded with prayers for the dead, and the people's 
offerings of money to the priest, as a reward for praying 
in behalf of their dead friends, for their deliverance out 
of purgatory. 

" The fourth part of the mass begins with the pater nos- 
ter, and some other prayers. The sub-deacon delivers 
the patina covered to the deacon, who uncovers it, and 
delivers it to the priest, and kisses his right hand. The 
priest kisses the patina, breaks the host over the chalice, 
and puts a piece of it in the wine, to show that Christ's 



212 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

body is not without blood. Then the bishop pronounceth 
a solemn benediction. Next is sung the hymn, ' O Lamb 
of God that takest away the sin of the world.' Then the 
kiss of peace is given, according, as they allege, to the 
apostolic command. 

" The fifth and last part of the mass contains their com- 
munion. The priest or bishop communicates first him- 
self. He takes the one half of the host for himself, the 
other half he divides into two parts, one for the deacon, 
and the other for the sub-deacon. Next the clergy and 
monks communicate, and after them the people, but the 
latter have only the consecrated wafer (or. bread) allowed 
them and put in their mouths, the cup being withheld 
from them, and drunk by the priests or clergy only. 
The priest holds the chalice (or cup) with both hands, 
and drinks three times, pretending thereby to signify the 
trinity. The whole is concluded with what they call 
post-communion, which consists in thanksgiving and 
singing of Antiphonies. The priest then kisses the altar 
and removes again to the right side of it, where, having 
offered some prayers for the people and blessed them, the 
deacon with a loud voice cries, ' Go in peace, the host is 
sent to God the Father to pacify his anger.' 

"Behold, O Christian reader, a faint outline of the chief 
parts of the mass. To comprehend the imposing puerility 
you must see it. I repeat nothing of what we said of its 
idolatry and outrageous insult offered by it to the one only 
atonement of our blessed Redeemer. I now speak of it as a 
splendid compound of imposition, quackery, and childish 
inventions, played off upon an ignorant gaping assembly, by 
large and bearded youths, each of whom, as a sophomore, 
is taught to strut his boyish parts on the ecclesiastical 
stage of the consecrated theatre, and to go through his 
ghostly pantomime." 

The following decrees were passed by the council of 
Trent, which will serve to unfold more fully the views 
of papists concerning this ceremony. 1. "Whoever 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 213 

shall affirm that a true and proper sacrifice is not offered 
to God in the mass, or that the offering is nothing else 
than giving Christ to us to eat, let him be accursed. 3. 
Whoever shall affirm that the sacrifice of the mass is only 
a service of praise and thanksgiving, or a bare commemo- 
ration of the sacrifice made on the cross, and not a 
propitiatory offering, or that it only benefits him who re- 
ceives it, and ought not to be offered for the living and 
the dead, for sins, punishments, satisfactions and other ne- 
cessities, let him be accursed. 4. Whoever shall affirm 
that the most holy sacrifice of Christ made on the cross, 
is blasphemed by the sacrifice of the mass, or that the 
latter derogates from the honor of the former, let him 
be accursed. 5. Whoever shall affirm that to celebrate 
masses in honor of the saints, and in order to obtain 
their intercession with God, according to the intention 
of the church, is an imposture, let him be accursed. 7. 
Whoever shall affirm that the ceremonies, vestments, 
and external signs used by the catholic church, in the 
celebration of the mass, are excitements to irreligion 
rather than helps to piety ; let him be accursed. 9. 
Whoever shall affirm, that the practice of the Roman 
church in uttering with a low voice part of the canon and 
the words of consecration, is to be condemned, or that the 
mass should be celebrated in the vernaculary language 
only, or that water is not to be mixed in the cup with 
wine when the sacrifice is offered, because it is contrary 
to Christ's institution ; let him be accursed." 

There is one peculiarity respecting the popish celebra- 
tion of the Lord's supper, which should not be omitted. 
And that is, that they allow only the bread, or wafer, to 
the common people, denying them the cup, while the 
wine used in the ordinance is all consumed by the priests. 
The reason which they allege for this is grounded on 
transubstantiation. They say that in giving the bread 
to the people, they give them the real body of Christ, 
which must of course have blood in it, and therefore the 



214 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

wine is superfluous. But why the priests use this super- 
fluity, when they as really as the people take the body 
of Christ, blood and all, in the wafer, they do not inform. 
But so much as this is certain, that in administering to 
the people only the bread, they do not administer the 
Lord's supper, which according- to his appointment, was 
to consist of bread and wine. The consequence is, that 
the sacrament of the Lord's supper is never celebrated 
in the popish church. What they have substituted in 
the place of it is a mere human device, made up of fiction 
and superstition. Let papists well consider this. For 
the truth of it is manifest on two grounds. 1. They 
pervert the ordinance in its nature and design. That 
which was designed to be a mere ordinance of com- 
memoration pointing to Christ, the only real sacrifice for 
sin, and calling him to remembrance in that view, they 
have transmitted into a substitute for Christ, a real pro- 
pitiatory sacrifice. 2. They have changed the appoint- 
ment of Christ by omitting an essential part of the ordi- 
nance. There is then in the popish church no sacra- 
ment of the Lord's supper. 

From the view w 7 hich papists take of the consecrated 
host, that it is the real body of Christ, and that those who 
swallow the host into their stomachs have received 
Christ, and have Christ in them, are united to Christ, 
<fec, it becomes them, as will be seen, to be very careful 
of the host. The communicant must not spit soon after 
taking it, lest he should eject something of Christ with 
his saliva. Great care also must be taken that the con- 
secrated host be not profaned by coming within the reach 
of any animal. A catastrophe of this kind once occurred 
at a Dominican's convent. A lady who had a lap-dog, 
which she always carried along with her, went to re- 
ceive the sacrament with the dog under her arm ; and 
the dog looking up and beginning to bark, when the 
friar went to put the wafer into the lady's mouth, he let 
the wafer fall, which happened to drop into the dog's 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 215 

mouth ■. Both the friar and the lady were in deep 
amazement and confusion, and knew not what to do ; so 
they went for the reverend father prior, who did resolve 
this nice point upon the spot, and ordered to call two 
friars and the clerk, and bring the cross and two candle- 
sticks with lighted candles, and to carry the dog in form 
of procession into the vestry, and «Jo keep the poor 
creature there with illumination, as if he were the host 
itself, till the digestion of the wafer was over, and then 
to kill the dog and throw him into the drain. Another 
friar said it was better to open the dog immediately and 
extract the fragments of the host ; and a third was of 
opinion that the said dog should be burned and all there 
was in him, upon the spot. The lady who loved dearly 
her little cupid, entreated the father prior to save the 
dog's life if possible, and she would give any thing to 
make amends. Then the prior and friars retired to 
consult upon the case, and it was resolved, 1. That the 
dog should be called for the future, the sacrament's dog. 
2. If the dog should happen to die, the lady was to give 
it burial in consecrated ground. 3. The lady must take 
care not to let the dog play with other dogs. 4. She must 
give a silver dog, which should be placed upon the taber- 
nacle where the hosts were kept. 5. She must pay twenty 
pistoles to the convent. Every article was performed 
accordingly, and the dog was kept with a great deal of care 
and veneration. The case was printed, and so came to 
the ears of the inquisitors, and Don Pedro Guenero, first 
inquisitor, thinking the thing very scandalous, sent for 
the poor dog, and kept him in the inquisition to the great 
grief of his mistress. What became of the dog we are 
not informed." 

The following rules and regulations respecting the 
administration and reception of the ordinance, arise 
from the same error of transubstantiation. 

" If the celebrator after the consecration of the host, 
observe that it is corrupted or is not of wheat, he must 



216 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

still take another and swallow it, after which, he must 
swallow the first, or give it to another to be preserved 
with great care and reverence." " If any remains of 
meat sticking in the mouth, be swallowed with the host, 
they will not vitiate the act of communicating, provided, 
they be swallowed not as meat but as spittle. The 
same is said, if, in washing our mouth a drop of water is 
swallowed, provided it be against our will." M If any 
requisite be wanting, it is no sacrament. For example, 
if it be celebrated out of holy ground, or upon an altar 
not consecrated, or not covered with three napkins, if 
there be no wax candles ; if it be not celebrated between 
day break and noon ; if the celebrator have not said ma- 
tins with lauds ; or if he omit any of the sacradotal robes, 
if these robes and napkins be not blessed by a bishop ; 
if there be no clerk present to serve, or one who ought 
not to serve, a woman for example ; if there be no chalice, 
the cup of which is gold or silver or pewter ; if the 
vestment be not of clean linen, adorned with silk in the 
middle and blessed by a bishop ; if the priest celebrate 
with his head covered; if there be no missal present 
though he have it by heart." " If a gnat or spider fall 
into the cup after consecration, the priest must swallow it, 
if he can, otherwise let him take it out, wash it with 
wine, burn it, and throw it with the washings on holy 
ground. If poison fall into the cup, the blood must be 
poured on tow or on a linen cloth, remain till it be dry, 
then be burned and the ashes thrown on holy ground. 
If the host be poisoned, it must be kept in a tabernacle 
till it be corrupted." 

" If the blood, ( i. e. the wine in the cup after consecra- 
tion) freeze in winter, put warm clothes about the cup, if 
that be not sufficient, put the cup into boiling water. If 
any of Christ's blood, (i. e. the wine, ) fall upon the 
ground by negligence, it must be licked up with the 
tongue, and the place scraped, the scrapings must be 
burnt, and the ashes buried in holy ground." " If a priest 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 217 

vomit the eucharist and the species appear entire, it must 
be licked up most reverently. If a nausea prevent that 
to be done, it must be. kept till it be corrupted. If the spe- 
cies do not appear entire, the vomit must be burnt and the 
ashes thrown upon holy ground." Such regulations as 
these speak for themselves. Miraculous powers have 
also been ascribed to the consecrated host, as the follow- 
ing "collection of miracles of the consecrated wafer, 
grounded upon the respects and acknowledgments which 
beasts, birds, and insects, on several occasions have ren- 
dered to the holy wafer." Petrus Cheniac reports, that 
u a certain peasant of Auvergne, a province in France, 
perceiving that his bees were likely to die, to prevent this 
misfortune, was advised, after he had received the com- 
munion, to keep the host and to blow it into one of his 
hives; and on a sudden all the bees came forth out of 
their hives, and ranking themselves in good order, lifted 
the host up from the ground, and carrying it upon their 
wings, placed it among the combs. After this the man 
went about his business ; and at his return found that 
this advice had succeeded contrary to his expectation, 
for all his bees were dead. Nay when he lifted up the 
hive he saw that the host was turned into a fair child 
among the honey combs, and being much astonished at 
this change, and seeing that this infant seemed to be 
dead, he took it in his hands intending to bury it private- 
ly in the church ; but when he came to do it, he found 
nothing in his hands, the infant having vanished away. 
This thing happened in the county of Clermont, which 
for this irreverence was a while after chastized with 
divers calamities, which so dispeopled those parts that 
they become like a wilderness. From this it appears 
that the bees honor the holy host divers ways, by lifting 
it from the earth and carrying it into the hive as it were 
in procession." Cantiprat writeth " that a certain poor 
man going to visit his bees perceived them to make a 
sweet harmony, he stood ravished a while with it, not 
19 



218 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

knowing what it meant. The night following as he went 
about some business, casting his eyes towards his bees 
he perceived them to rejoice and sport themselves, ma- 
king an admirable melody. First he informed his curate 
of it, and afterwards broke up his hive, where he found a 
box made of wax, but of most admirable whiteness, that 
it looked like ivory, and within it the holy sacrament 
adored by the bees, who ranged themselves in two choirs 
and sang the praises of their creator. The bishop order- 
ed a procession to carry back the holy host of the church, 
and in that place was erected a sumptuous chapel, which 
became a place of refuge for the sick and the afflicted. 
When no body knew whence and by whom that host 
had been brought there, two thieves of their own accord, 
discovered themselves, and confessed that, having stolen 
a box they had thrown the host against the hives. By 
which miracle we see that the bees adore the holy host, 
and sing the divine praises, dividing themselves into two 
choirs." Caesarius relates " that an old and simple priest 
of the parish of St. Colen, carrying the holy sacrament 
out of the town to a sick person, and going up a very 
rough hill, met some loaded asses descending towards the 
town, the way being very narrow, and the priest not 
being able to get past them, and fearing to be overturned 
by those beasts he spoke to them according to his simpli- 
city in this manner. ' My asses ! what do you mean ? 
do you not see him whom I carry? Go aside and stop 
to make room for your Creator, which I command you 
in his name.' O admirable obedience ! those asses 
which used not to stir but when they were beaten, pre- 
sently went to one side where the hill was more steep, 
without apprehending any danger of letting fall their load. 
The town of Colen remembers this wonder to this day 
and mentioneth it with astonishment." But enough of 
this stupid mummery with which several pages might be 
filled. The asses and the papists are appropriate rivals 
for the honor of such a work of piety. 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 219 

But the worst of all respecting the mass is the practice 
of selling it in behalf of the dead. This piece of abomi- 
nable superstition and impiety is one principal source of 
the revenues of the popish priests. It is said very justly, 
that the revenue arising from the mass alone enables the 
church to keep more priests in pay than any prince in 
Christendom can keep soldiers. In Ireland, the sums 
which are raised by popish priests from the poor people 
by means of the mass alone are beyond all calculation. 
The following copies of receipts for masses said for the 
dead, which are from an authentic source may serve as 
specimens of this traffic. — "October 17, 1798. An ac- 
count of the masses said for the soul of the late Mrs, 
Monaghan, viz. 
St. James' chapel 50 masses. . . £2 14 2 
Denmark-st. chapel 20 do. . . .118 
Stephen-st. chapel 20 do. . * . 118 

Ash-st. chapel 20 do. . . .118 



total, 110 masses. £h 19 2 

Received the above in full, M. M'Guire. 

Dublin, July 11, 1809. Received from Mrs. Mahon, 
two pounds three shillings and four pence, for twenty 
masses offered up by the Rev. gentlemen of St. James' 
chapel, for the repose of the soul of Mr. Timothy Mahon. 

Jas. Jos. Callan. 

12th October, 1809. Received from Mrs. Mahon, two 
pouuds three and four pence, for twenty masses, said by 
the Rev. gentlemen of St. James' chapel, for the soul of 
Mrs. Mary Monaghan. Jas. Jos. Callan. 

Dublin, Oct. 31. Received from Mrs. Mahon, three 
pounds eight and three pence, for sixty masses offered up 
in St. James' chapel for the repose of the soul of Mrs. 
Monaghan. Jas. Jos. Callan. 

These documents will show the manner in which our 
poor deluded fellow men in Ireland are spoiled of their 
money by their professed spiritual guides. In popery 



220 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

there is no free gift, every thing has its price in pounds, 
shillings and pence, or what is equivalent. It seems that 
money is demanded for procuring, by a given number of 
masses, repose to the souls of certain persons who are 
dead. Did they die in the faith of Jesus ? Then their 
souls are at rest in heaven, and need not the money of 
their friends, or the masses of popish priests. Did they 
die in impenitence and unbelief, then it is not in the 
power of men or angels, much less of all the priests of 
popery, to procure by any means a moment's rest for 
them. To take money then for the purpose proposed is 
only another way of picking pockets. 

In popish countries, such as Spain, when a person is 
dangerously ill, the priests and friars beset the house 
like so many harpies, waiting till they know the event, 
and if the person die they besiege the chief of the family 
with petitions for the job of saying masses for the dead. 
If the family be rich, the custom is to distribute a thou- 
sand or more masses among the convents and parishes, 
to be said on the day of burial. " When the Marquis 
of St. Martin died," says Mr. Gavin, in his Master Key, 
" his lady distributed an hundred thousand masses, for 
which she paid five thousand pounds sterling, besides a 
thousand masses which she settled upon all the convents 
and parish churches, to be said every year forever, which 
amounts to a thousand pistoles a year." But not satisfied 
with cheating the people out of their money, the priests 
also cheat them out of the masses which they engage, 
and for which they are paid. For it often happens that 
they receive more money for masses in a day than they 
can say in a month. But in this case they have a resort 
in a special licence of the pope, which the priests keep 
a secret among themselves. Mr. Gavin, who was once 
a popish priest, says it was a thing secertly understood 
among his brethren, that they had authority from the 
pope to make one mass serve for a hundred. This was 
called centenaria messe, or the hundred fold mass, for the 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 221 

mass which was said in the place of an hundred, was 
understood to have as much efficacy as another mass 
said an hundred times. And truly, for one cypher has as 
much value as an hundred. But was it so understood 
by the people who paid their money? Not at all. They 
were made to believe that the efficacy of masses depend- 
ed on their number and accumulation. Here then was 
a double fraud. We are farther informed by the author 
of the " Master Key" that the dealers in masses kept a 
kind of mass bank, accumulated before hand, so that they 
could draw upon it whenever occasion required. If the 
friends of a deceased person went to a father prior for a 
thousand masses and paid the money, he gave them a 
draft upon the bank, purporting that the masses had been 
said already and only need to be transferred to individual 
benefit. 

6. Purgatory. 

Purgatory, according to the popish cardinal Bellar- 
mine, is, " that place, in which after death, the souls of 
those persons are purified, who were not fully cleansed 
on earth, in order that they may be prepared for heaven, 
wherein nothing shall enter that defileth." In attempt- 
ing to prove there is such a place, he mainly relies on a 
passage in the Apocrypha, which it is not necessary now 
to consider, because if the passage directly asserted the 
doctrine it would have no weight as authority. 

In the following decree, the council of Trent sanc- 
tioned the doctrine of purgatory, and prescribed the 
duties which it involves. " Since the catholic church, 
instructed by the Holy Spirit, through the sacred wri- 
tings, and the ancient traditions of the fathers, hath 
taught in holy councils, and lastly in this ecumenical 
council, that there is a purgatory, and that the souls 
detained there are assisted by the suffrages of the faith- 
ful, but especially by the acceptable sacrifice of the mass, 
this holy council commands all bishops diligently to 
endeavor that the wholesome doctrine of purgatory, deli- 
19* 



222 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

vered to us by venerable fathers and holy councils, be 
believed and held by Christ's faithful, and every where 
taught and believed. Let the bishops take care, that the 
suffrages of the living faithful, viz. masses, prayers, alms 
and other works of piety, which the faithful have been 
accustomed to perform for departed believers be piously 
and religiously rendered according to the institutes of the 
church, and whatever services are due to the dead through 
the endowments of deceased persons, or in any other 
way, let them not be performed slightly, but diligently 
and carefully by the priests and ministers of the church, 
and all others to whom the duty belongs." 

The locality of purgatory, according to Bellarmine, is 
near the centre of the earth, or, rather, 2550 miles below 
the inhabitants of the world, and 15.750 miles above hell. 
Every child, who has studied his geography, knows that 
the diameter of the globe, from surface to surface, is but 
8,000 miles. But no matter ; the pope must be believed 
by his followers, let science oppose ever so many obsta- 
cles. But will he be believed in such absurdities by 
people of information, who have the right, and will ex- 
ercise it, to think for themselves ? The papists suppose 
the internal regions of the earth to be divided into four 
separate departments. The first or lowest is hell, where 
the damned are placed. The second is purgatory. The 
third is the residence of the souls of infants who died 
without baptism, and who endure the eternal punishment 
of loss, but not of sense. The fourth is called limbo, 
and was the abode of the pious who departed this life 
before the birth of Christ, and were delivered by him 
when he descended into hell. This last, they suppose, 
is now empty, as purgatory will be at some future period. 
The punishment endured in purgatory is said to be that 
of fire. And all that can be known of it in the present 
state, the papists say, is, that the pains of purification are 
horribly severe, so that no sufferings ever endured in this 
world are to be compared with them. How long they 



HISTORY OF POPERY, 223 

will continue is not said, but it is thought they will be 
very gradual, and that some will not be thoroughly 
cleansed till the day of judgment. 

The object and use of this doctrine of purgatory is to 
obtain money. And the popish priests have found it a 
most profitable speculation. As was remarked under the 
head of masses, they have a larger revenue from selling 
masses for the dead, than princes have for the support of 
their kingdoms. The priests diligently inculcate the 
sentiment that sufferers in purgatory may receive power- 
ful relief from their brethren on earth, and that the dura- 
tion of their pains may be considerably shortened by 
masses, prayers, alms, and other works of piety, called 
the suffrages of the faithful ; but above all, by masses 
offered in their behalf by the priests. A readier and 
more effectual method of filling the coffers of popery 
could not have been invented ; and that they have been 
filled to overflowing by this means, is an historical fact 
that cannot be disputed. Great care is taken to bring 
the subject constantly before the people. In every mass 
there is a general commemoration of the departed. 
Prayers are prepared to be offered at the moment of death, 
and at stated intervals after it, and at the anniversary re- 
turns of the day on which the event occurred. A so- 
lemn office for the dead forms part of the service 
of the church, and is usually recited once a month, 
and in lent once a week. On all-souls' day, extraordi- 
nary masses are celebrated for their relief. Arrange- 
ments may be made at any time with the priest, for the 
appropriation of his services to the relative or friend 
whose deliverance is the immediate object of concern. 
Besides which, for a small sum of money, a trifling pe- 
nance, or some easy act of devotion, the zealous Catholic 
may always indulge his benevolent feelings, and contri- 
bute largely to the comfort of the whole body of sufferers 
in that dark and melancholy abode. But money is the 
essential requisite in all these operations ; so that it is a 



224 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

maxim in the history of popery, " No penny, no pater- 
noster." That is to say, no pay, no prayer. Philip Y. 
ordered, by his will, all the priests of the place where he 
should die, to say mass the same day for the repose of his 
soul ; besides which, they were to celebrate during three 
days, before privileged altars, as many masses as possi- 
ble ; and that he might not fail in his purpose, he further 
commanded an hundred thousand masses to be said on 
his behalf; the surplus of as many as were necessary to 
conduct him to heaven, to be reversible to poor solitary 
souls, concerning whom no person bestowed a thought. 
On the day of decease or burial, the following prayer 
is used : — " Have mercy, O Lord, we beseech thee, on 
the soul of thy servant N., for which we offer this victim 
of praise, humbly beseeching thy majesty, that by this 
propitiatory sacrifice, he or she may arrive at eternal 
rest. Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the 
soul of thy servant, which this day hath departed this 
life, being purified and freed from sin by this sacrifice, 
may obtain both forgiveness and eternal rest." On the 
third, seventh, or thirtieth day after decease, the follow- 
ing form is used: — "Admit, we beseech thee, O Lord, 
the soul of thy servant N., the third, seventh, or thir- 
tieth day of whose decease we commemorate, into the 
fellowship of thy saints, and refresh it with the perpetual 
dew of thy mercy. Mercifully look down, O Lord, on 
the offerings we make for the soul of thy servant N., 
that, being purified by these heavenly mysteries, it may 
find rest in thy mercy. Receive, O Lord, our prayers 
on behalf of thy servant N., that if any stain of the cor- 
ruptions of this world stick to it, they may be washed 
away by thy forgiving mercy." In Italy and Spain, 
travellers are continually solicited for contributions to- 
wards the relief of the suffering souls in purgatory. 
The dependents on churches or convents are usually em- 
ployed for this purpose. A man, bearing a large lan- 
tern, with a painted glass, representing two naked per- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 225 

sons enveloped in flames, entered the court, addressing 
every one of the company in these words : — " The holy 
souls, brother, remember the holy souls." Few refuse the 
petitioner a copper coin, worth ahout the eighth part of a 
penny. This custom is universal in Spain. A man, 
whose chief employment is to be agent for the souls in 
purgatory in the evening, the only time when the invisi- 
ble sufferers are begged for about the towns, parades the 
streets after sunset, with the lantern I have described, and 
never fails to visit the inns where the travellers, who ge- 
nerally entrust their safety from robbers to the holy souls, 
are always ready to make some pecuniary acknowledg- 
ment for past favors, or to engage their protection from 
future dangers." 

" The pope has established eight or ten days in the 
year, in which every Spaniard, (for the grant is Confined 
to Spain,) by kneeling at five different altars, and there 
praying for the extirpation of heresy, is entitled to send 
a species of habeas animan to any of his friends in pur- 
gatory. The name of the person, whose liberation is 
intended, should, for fear of mistake, be mentioned in the 
prayers ; but, lest the order of release should find him 
already free, or perhaps within those gates to which no 
pope had ever ventured to apply his keys, we are taught 
to endorse the spiritual bill with other names, addressing 
it finally to the most worthy and most disconsolate. 
These privileged days are announced to the public by a 
printed notice placed over the basin of holy water, which 
stands near every church door. The words written on 
the tablet are plain and peremptory : — " This is a soul- 
drawing day" A certain traveller remarks concerning 
Rome, " You may buy as many masses as will free your 
souls from purgatory for 29,000 years, at the church of 
St. John Lateran, on the festival of that saint, at Santa 
Bibiana, on all-souls' day, for 7,000 years ; at a church 
near the Basilica of St. Paul, and at another on the Q.ui- 
rinal hill, for 10,000 ; and for 3,000 years, at a very rea- 



226 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

sonable rate. But it is in vain to particularize, for the 
greater part of the principal churches in Rome and the 
neighborhood, are spiritual shops for the sale of the same 
commodity." Spain is peculiarly favored in the variety 
of her privileges. Among the rest is the bull called the 
compounding bull, by possessing which, and paying a 
certain sum of money at the discretion of any priest au- 
thorized to hear confessions, any property which has been 
obtained by robbery or extortion, and cannot be traced to 
its right owner, may be kept. This composition with the 
pope is made by depositing the sum appointed by the con- 
fessor in an iron chest, fixed at the outside of the doors 
of churches — a very comfortable resort for the con- 
sciences of speculators and extortioners, two very nume- 
rous classes in Spain. Another bull is called the defunct 
bull, because, as is supposed, the name of any dead per- 
son being entered on the bull, a plenary indulgence is, by 
this means, believed to be conveyed to his soul, if suffer- 
ing in purgatory. 

The arts and tricks which the popish priests practice 
upon their deluded followers, to extort from them their 
money, and to confirm them in belief of the efficacy of 
masses to deliver from purgatory, are almost innumera- 
ble. A few examples must suffice. 

" A gentleman of Dublin called on a tenant for rent. 
The poor woman had been always punctual heretofore, 
she apologized for not being so now, by telling her land- 
lord, that the priest came to her lately and asked her ' If 
she had heard from her husband ?' she answered, i how 
could she as he was dead ?' ' O yes,' said he, ' but did 
you not hear that a great crowd was lately passing over 
the bridge from purgatory to heaven, that it broke down 
from the weight, that many were left on the wrong side, 
and amongst the rest your husband, that their lamenta- 
tions had come to the priests to get the bridge repaired V 
Therefore, he called upon her, who was so much inter- 
ested, for a good subscription, as the job would be very 



HISTORY OF POPERY; 227 

expensive." The following is a copy of the constitution 
of a purgatorian society instituted in Dublin, July 1, 
1813, for the purpose of raising money to deliver souls 
from purgatory. 

(Copy.) "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

" It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray 
for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins.' 5 
Maccabees, XII. 46. 

" The members who compose the society of the office 
for the dead, commenced on the above day at the said 
place, adopting the spirit and meaning of the above sacred 
text, and wishing, in conformity with the divine precepts 
of the holy Catholic church, to extend their charitable 
views beyond the grave, by relieving, as far as in them 
lies, the suffering souls in purgatory, and inviting all ten- 
der hearted catholics, who have a feeling sensibility of 
the duty they owe their departed parents, relations, and 
friends, who probably may stand more in need of their 
commiseration at present than at any period of their life- 
time, to assist in the charitable and pious purpose of 
shortening the duration of their sufferings by the most 
easy means imaginable, have agreed to and adopted the 
following rules. 

" Rule 1. That the affairs of this institution shall be 
regulated by the superior, rectors, and six of the mem- 
bers who compose the office for the dead, who shall at- 
tend on every Wednesday night at half past eight o'clock, 
through the year, at the above mentioned place, (i. e. St. 
James's chapel,) or any other place which may be here- 
after appointed, and there, with attention and devotion 
recite the office for the dead, agreeable to the intention 
that shall then be mentioned. 

" Rule 2. That every well disposed catholic, wishing 
to contribute to the relief of the suffering souls in purga- 
tory, shall pay one penny per week, which shall be ap- 
propriated to the procuring of masses to be offered up for 



228 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

the repose of the souls of deceased parents, relations, and 
friends, and of all the subscribers to the institution in par- 
ticular, and the faithful departed in general. 

" Rule 3. That on the first Monday of every month, a 
mass shall be offered up in the parish chapel of St. James, 
at ten o'clock, for the spiritual and temporal welfare of 
the subscribers of this society. 

H Rule 4. That the superior, rectors, and council shall 
continue in office for six calendar months, at the expira- 
tion of which time, candidates shall be nominated by the 
persons in office, who shall give the notice to the whole 
body of members who compose the office for the dead, 
that they may punctually attend on the first Wednesday 
night in July, at half-past eight o'clock, and on the first 
Wednesday night in January, for the purpose of electing 
a superior, rectors, and council, to serve the ensuing 
months, and so in succession. 

" Rule 5. That each subscriber on entering this socie- 
ty, do purchase a copy of these rules, in order to defray 
the expenses, incurred by printing and other contingen- 
ces, and that the money arising from the weekly sub- 
scriptions shall be disposed of to the most necessitated 
clergymen, who shall be required to give receipts for 
what they are paid. 

" Rule 6. That the spiritual benefits of this institution 
shall be conferred in the following manner, viz. — Each 
subscriber shall be entitled to an office at the time of their 
death, another at the expiration of a month, and one at 
the end of twelve months after their decease ; also the 
benefit of masses, which shall be procured to be offered 
by the money arising from subscriptions, and which shall 
be extended to their parents, relations, and friends, in the 
following order. That is to say, their fathers, mothers, 
brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, and if married, husbands, 
wives and children, if they have any departed who lived 
to maturity. 

" Rule 7. That every member of the office for the dead, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 229 

who serves the society in the capacity of superior, shall 
at the time of his death be entitled to three masses, to be 
offered for the repose of his soul ; and also every mem- 
ber who serves the office of rector, shall be entitled to the 
benefit of two masses, and every subscriber, without dis- 
tinction, shall be entitled to the benefit of one mass each, 
provided that such member or subscriber shall die a 
natural death, be six months a subscriber to the institu- 
tion, and be clear of all dues at the time of their departure. 
That care shall be taken by the surviving superior and 
rectors, that such soul masses are punctually obtained 
agreeably to the interest and meaning of this institution. 

" Rule 8. That the superior, rectors, and council be 
empowered to make, as occasion shall require, such by- 
laws as they shall think expedient, provided they do not 
interfere with the spirit of these rules, said by-laws are 
to be laid before the body at large for their approbation, 
and that four shall form a quorum on the council. 

44 Rule 9. That the superior shall, on every all-souls' 
day, advance to the parish priest of James Street chapel, 
whatever sum is necessary for obtaining an insertion 
into the mortality list of the altar, the names of the 
parents, relations and friends, of all the subscribers to this 
institution, to be recommended to the prayers of the con- 
gregation at every mass throughout the year. 

44 Subscriptions received, and subscribers registered, at 
the chapel every Wednesday evening, from seven o'clock 
till nine, and in the school room adjoining the chapel on 
the first Sunday of February, May, August and No- 
vember, being quarterly days, from ten o'clock, until one. 

44 The books to be open for the inspection of subscribers. 
Price three pence. J. Coyne Printer, 74 Cook Street." 

Other societies of a similar character and object, have 
been established in other places. But this will suffice 
as a specimen. What we may ask is the object of these 
institutions ? The answer is, to relieve suffering souls 
from purgatory by the easiest means imaginable. And 
20 



230 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

what are these means 1 The payment of a penny a week 
as the easiest way to raise money to pay for masses. 
And who receives the money? The priests, even the 
most necessitated. But cannot the priests, who have 
other means of support in abundance, say masses without 
pay ? No, the suffering souls of their dear flocks may 
lie there for ages and suffer intensely, when they could 
relieve them by a few words of their lips, and yet they 
will not do it without money ! What then becomes of 
those who have no money ? Why they are prayed for in 
the lump at the conclusion. But will this praying for 
the aggregate of the poor relieve their souls without 
money, if so, why not the rich, why not all ? The 
answer must be, the rich have money, and the priests 
love it better than their souls, and therefore must have it. 
But what is still more remarkable concerning this 
system of swindling, is that even purgatory itself is 
graduated, so as to accommodate the different characters 
that go thither according to their rank, but more espe- 
cially according to their purses, or those of their friends. 
According to the idle dreams of popery, there are eight 
different apartments in purgatory, of different de- 
grees of intensity of heat. — One for kings, one for 
princes, one for grandees, one for noblemen, one for 
merchants and tradesmen, one for ladies of quality, 
one for gentlemen's and tradesmen's wives, and one for 
poor common people. The last contains the lowest de- 
gree of suffering, and therefore is not of much importance. 
But the degree of suffering rises as the scale of apart- 
ments rises, and the price of deliverance is in proportion 
to the rank of the sufferer and the apartment he occupies, 
in other words, in proportion to his supposed ability to 
pay. And what is amazingly accommodating to the 
feelings of surviving friends, they can, by paying the 
stipulated price, remove the soul of a departed friend 
from a lower apartment to a higher, and thus place it in 
more respectable company, though in greater suffering. 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 231 

Thus a tradesman, by paying the fee, may have the soul 
of his departed wife prayed into the company of ladies of 
quality. And who would grudge a little money, or 
shrink from suffering to gain such an object ? "I knew," 
says a late writer, ." a shoemaker's wife, very ignorant, 
proud, and full of punctilios of honor, who went to a 
Franciscan friar, and told him she wished to know 
whether the soul of her father was in purgatory or not, 
and in what apartment ? The friar asked how many 
masses she could spare for it ? She said two. The friar 
answered, your father's soul is among the beggars. Upon 
hearing this, the poor woman began to cry, and desired 
the friar to put him, if possible, in the fourth apartment, 
and she would pay him for it. The quantum being 
settled, the friar did promise to put him there the next 
day. So the poor woman ever since gives out, that her 
father was a rich merchant, for it was revealed to her 
that his soul was among the merchants in purgatory." 
Now what can we say, but that the pope is the Pluto, or 
governor of this subterranean kingdom, the priests and 
friars are the quarter masters, who distribute the souls 
according to their own fancy, and have power to sell the 
different apartments, like so many stalls in the market ; 
to put, for money enough, the soul of a cobbler into the 
apartment of a king, and a washerwoman into that of 
her mistress. 

When people have paid so much money for the relief 
of the souls of their friends in purgatory, it is natural 
for them to wish to know whether it produces any effect. 
To gratify this curiosity, the papist priests have a device, 
which is almost too ridiculous for sober narration, and 
yet, which fully satisfies the feelings of their ignorant, 
deluded followers. When inquiries of the above de- 
scription are made, the priests bring the inquirers to the 
tabernacle of the altar, and cause them to look in, when 
they are told, that if they see the figure of a mouse 
within the tabernacle, it is the soul still in purgatory, and 



232 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

must have more masses ; but if they see no sueh figure, 
then the soul is in heaven. When, therefore, the mass 
is over, the inquirer is brought to a little door, which has 
a glass light, through which he looks. And, O pitiful ! 
he sees a mouse, which the friars keep for that purpose, 
and then he must give money for more masses, till the 
mouse disappears. Thus the priests have the means of 
extorting the last shilling from their dupes. Another 
account of a similar device is thus given by a late au- 
thor : — " About seventeen years ago, a lady now living 
in Edinburgh, had occasion to be in Dublin, and through 
means of a gentleman from Scotland, was introduced to 
a popish chapel, on an occasion when a number of souls 
were to be translated out of purgatory. The place was 
very brilliantly lighted. The priest was seated on an 
eminence, with a table before him. The audience was 
in expectation, when a relation of each of the deceased 
persons whose souls were that night to be released, ap- 
peared ; and in passing before the priest, each laid an 
elegant well-filled purse on the table before him, who, 
after nodding satisfaction, most readily conveyed it to a 
receptacle, where it might be preserved till a fit opportu- 
nity of otherwise disposing of it. Having received his 
wages, the priest immediately began his operations, and 
soon intimated that the souls were translated, and would 
immediately make their appearance. Immediately a 
moveable part of the floor, unoccupied of course, opened, 
and there issued forth from it living creatures, as black 
as jet. When the little creatures began to move about. 
in order to prevent the deception from being detected, the 
lights were all extinguished, as if by magic. The lady 
had eyed the souls' representatives very narrowly, and 
had observed that there was one of them within her 
reach ; and with a degree of courage which would not 
have been exercised by every one in her circumstances, 
she seized and secured it. She took it home, and showed 
it to the gentleman who had introduced her to the chapel. 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 233 

when it turned out to be a crab dressed in black velvet. 
I need scarcely add, that the lady was induced, by the 
entreaties of the gentleman, to destroy the animal, and 
maintain secrecy, at least in Ireland, as she valued her 
own life." The person who gave this information adds, 
" I have the story from a daughter of the lady who laid 
hold on the emancipated spirit, and I believe her entitled 
to the highest credit ; otherwise, I would not have trou- 
bled you with the story." 

The custom of soliciting contributions at funerals for 
the souls in purgatory, is also worthy of particular atten- 
tion. Previous to the procession, mass is performed for 
the soul of the deceased ; immediately after which, the 
priest takes measures to collect money from the persons 
assembled. The priest commences by saying, "Who 
gives for the soul of the faithful departed ?" The persons 
nearest then throw in their offerings, and then others, as 
they can find occasion. The offerings are thrown into a 
metallic trencher placed on the coffin. When any one 
throws in a sixpence, the priest cries, " God bless you ;" 
and when a shilling is given, he says, "God Almighty 
bless you," but takes no notice of coppers. As the sound 
of the coin in the trencher becomes less frequent, the 
priest becomes more vociferous. He cries aloud, " Who 
will give more for the soul of the faithful departed ?" 
Some of those who had previously contributed make an 
addition, and others are provoked to follow jthe example ; 
while the former, excited by the cries of the priest, give 
perhaps a third time. The priest still vociferates, " Will 
nobody give more for the soul of the faithful departed ? 
oh ! will no one give more ?" until the clamor ceases to 
have effect. I hardly need add that the ceremony con- 
cludes by the priest's putting all the money in his pocket. 
This exhibition is by no means confined to the dwelling- 
houses of deceased persons. It is frequently repeated 
on the way to the place of interment. The object of this 
is to get more money from those who join the procession 
20* 



234 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

after it leaves the house, the number of whom is muc: 
greater than that of those who assemble at the house ; 
hence it is customary for the priest, who walks before 
the procession alone, with a white band on his hat, and a 
book in his hand, whenever he judges the assemblage to 
be at the highest point. A gentleman who has been in 
Ireland says : — " I was present at one of these public 
cantings in the neighborhood of Lurgan, in the county 
of Armagh, in the year 1802, when the coffin, having 
been taken from the hearse and laid upon the road, a 
few hundred yards before coming to the burial ground, 
the process which I have described took place, in pre- 
sence of an immense multitude." 

It will, perhaps, be asked by some, whence this doc- 
trine of purgatory was derived. The answer is, surely 
not from the bible. For, though papists attempt to press 
some passages into the service, it is with such an ill grace, 
that to notice these lucubrations would be giving them 
too much importance. No person of the least sense, who 
gives any weight to scripture testimony, can fail to disco- 
ver, from their own showing, that they are destitute of all 
foothold on the pages of inspiration. What they derive 
from apocryphal books they are welcome to, as it signi- 
fies nothing to the purpose. The true origin of this doc- 
trine is unquestionably from the rites of heathenism, 
For, that the ancient heathen believed in such a state, 
and performed rites for the dead, to facilitate their pro- 
gress after death to the fair Elysian fields, is undeniable. 
Virgil describes the rites of the funeral pile as requisite 
to the repose of the departed spirit; and thus he intro- 
duces the ghost of Palinurus as complaining of the neg- 
lect of his friends in this respect. It is related of Plato, 
that he divided departed souls into three states. Those 
who had purified themselves with philosophy, and ex- 
celled in morality of life, would enjoy eternal felicity in 
the islands of the blest, without labor or trouble. Others, 
having lived exceedingly wicked, and become incapable 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 235 

of cure, he supposed, were at their death thrown head- 
long into hell, there to be tormented forever. But be- 
sides these, he supposed there was a middle sort, who, 
though they had sinned, had yet repented, and therefore 
seemed to be in a curable condition ; these, he thought, 
went down likewise to hell, to be purified and absolved 
by grievous torments. But after that, he supposed they 
would be delivered again, and attain to distinguished ho- 
nor and happiness. There is, therefore, no question 
whence the doctrine of purgatory originated. About the 
end of the sixth century, pope Gregory began to counte- 
nance the doctrine, and it gradually crept in among the 
other relics of ancient paganism, which corrupted the 
church. And from that time the dreams of superstition 
respecting the state of the dead began to prevail. The 
flames of iEtna and Vesuvius were supposed to have 
been kindled on purpose to torment departed souls. 
Some were seen, or supposed to be so, broiling on grid- 
irons and spits ; some burning in the fire ; others shiver- 
ing in water ; and others smoking in the chimney. The 
very roads to purgatory were discovered ; one in Sicily, 
another in Pozzueto, and a third in Ireland. One was 
found out by the help of an angel, and another by the aid 
of the devil. And yet it was a long time before this doc- 
trine became fully established among papists. Even in 
the twelfth century it was questioned by some. But by 
degrees it has at last become an essential part of popery ; 
and as such, it will now be left to the decision of an en- 
lightened community. 

Other doctrines of popery might be specified under 
this general head, such as justification by our own righ- 
teousness — extreme unction, celibacy of the clergy, &c. 
But the most important articles have been examined. 
And it is not necessary to view the minor points. 
Enough has been said to illustrate the spirit and genius 
of popery as to its theory or principles. It is now time 



236 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

to turn our attention to its practice, which will he done 
in the following sections. 



SECTION VII. 

IDOLATRY OF POPERY. 

Here it may be proper in the first place to settle what 
is to he understood by idolatry. This point will be best 
settled by reference to the commands of the decalogue, 
which relate to this subject. These commands are two, 
viz., the first and second. The first prohibits the wor- 
ship of rival deities under any form, or in any manner. 
No object of worship, besides the true and everlasting 
God was to be in any way allowed. The second com- 
mand prohibits the worship of the true God by images 
or visible representations, or in any way which he has 
not prescribed. Idolatry then, according to the law of 
God, includes two branches, viz., the worship of rival 
deities, either supreme or subordinate, and the worship 
of one deity by visible representations. It is therefore 
utterly in vain to plead for the use of images, that they 
are not worshipped as God, or as containing a resident 
divinity, but as representatives of the invisible God. 
This is the very sense in which the second command 
forbids the use of images. And the reason is, that no 
proper visible representation of deity can be made. 
Every thing of this kind is false, and therefore instead 
of being a help to worship, it is a hindrance. All who 
worship God in this way worship him through a false 
medium, and therefore their views of God are false, their 
worship is false, and for this very reason forbidden. It 
may be added that all the idolatry of the pagan world ori- 
ginated in this improper use of images, and taking the 
liberty to multiply the objects of worship. The more 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 237 

intelligent of the heathen, and especially in the early- 
stages of paganism, will tell the same story. They 
say that they do not worship the idol as God, but in the 
first place as a representative of God, then as having a 
resident divinity in it, and lastly, when the course of de- 
gradation is finished, the image itself may be worship- 
ped as God by the multitude. And it may be questioned 
very seriously, whether the body of papists understand 
the distinction which some make between allowable 
and idolatrous worship. Indeed it is very certain that 
many papists know nothing of God beyond what they 
see in the image. The papists will not clear themselves 
of idolatry by their subtle distinctions which have no 
practical influence. God is a spirit; and they that 
worship him must worship him in spirit. 

The charge of idolatry lies against popery in two re- 
spects. 

1. In multiplying the objects of worship in violation 
of the first command. 

2. In worshipping God by means of images, in vio- 
lation of the second command. 

In respect to the worship of rival gods in violation of 
the first command, that paid to the virgin Mary, and to 
the saints, constitutes the substance. In whatever man- 
ner these objects are worshipped, whether by images, or 
direct prayer, it is all the same. Because, here the 
charge of idolatry is grounded not on the form but the 
object of worship. If then the image be considered a 
representative in this case, it represents what ought not 
to be worshipped. 

The popish worship of the virgin Mary is idolatry. 
And here it will not be disputed that the virgin is a crea- 
ture, and simply a creature. The fact that she was the 
instrument of giving a human body to the divine Saviour, 
does not alter her nature or character. That this is cor- 
rect is evident, because it agrees with the uniform testi- 
mony of scripture. Not a syllable is there recorded 



338 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

concerning any peculiar honor being due to the mother 
of Christ. With this in view, let us now look at the 
practice of popery relative to the virgin Mary. It is a 
matter of notoriety that every devout papist, or who 
wishes to be esteemed so, pays her the most extravagant 
honor and veneration. Prayers are offered directly to 
her as if to a divine being, and blessings are supplicated 
from her, as from an almighty patroness. In all forms 
of devotion she has a share. The " Ave Maria" or 
hail Mary, accompanies the " Pater Noster" or our Fa- 
ther. " Evening, morning and noon" said the Psalmist, 
" will I pray unto thee and cry aloud." The papist trans- 
fers these devotions to Mary. In tender childhood, he 
is taught to cherish for her the profoundest reverence, 
and highest veneration. During his life she is the 
object of his regard, and five solemn festivals, annually 
observed to her honor, call forth his affections. In the 
hour of death he is taught to rely on her mercy. To 
the ignorant devotee she is more than Christ or than 
God, he believes she can command her son, that to 
her intercessions nothing can be denied, and to her pow- 
er all things are possible. This view of the subject will 
be supported by the following extracts from popish 
books. The Breviary holds the following language. 
" O holy Mary, succor the miserable, help the faint- 
hearted, comfort the afflicted, pray for the people, inter- 
cede for the clergy, make supplication for the devout 
female sex, let all be sensible of thy help who celebrate 
thy holy commemoration. Grant, we beseech thee, O 
Lord God, that we, thy servants, may enjoy perpetual 
health of body and mind, and, by the glorious interces- 
sion of blessed Mary, ever a virgin, may be delivered 
from present sorrows, and come to eternal joy, through 
our Lord Jesus Christ." 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 239 

Salve Regina, or Hail Queen of Heaven. 
" Hail to the queen who reigns above, 
Mother of clemency and love, 
Hail thou, our hope, life, sweetness ; we 
Eve's banished children cry to thee. ^ 

We from this wretched vale of tears, 
Send sighs and groans unto thine ears, 
O, then sweet advocate bestow ; 
A pitying look on us below. 

After this exile let us see 

Our blessed Jesus, born of thee ; 

O merciful, O pious maid, 

O gracious Mary lend thine aid." 

The above may serve as a specimen of popish devo- 
tion. The following is a prayer of St. Bernard. " Re- 
member, most holy virgin Mary, that no one ever had 
recourse to your protection, implored your help, or sought 
your mediation, without obtaining relief. Confiding, 
therefore, in your goodness, behold me a penitent sinner, 
sighing out my sins before you, beseeching you to adopt 
me for your son, and to take upon you the care of my 
eternal salvation. Despise not, O mother of Jesus, the 
petition of your humble client, but hear and grant my 
prayer." To this may properly be added a part of the 
litany of our lady of Loretto, (i. e. Mary.) " We fly to 
thy patronage, O holy mother of God, despise not our 
petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dan- 
gers, O ever glorious and blessed virgin — holy Mary, holy 
mother of God, holy virgin of virgins, mother of Christ, 
mother of divine grace, mother most pure, mother most 
chaste, mother undented, mother untouched, mother most 
amiable, mother most admirable, mother of our Creator, 
mother of our Redeemer, virgin most prudent, virgin 
most venerable, virgin most renowned, virgin most 
powerful, virgin most merciful, virgin most faithful, 
mirror of justice, seat of wisdom, cause of our joy, spi- 
ritual vessel, vessel of honor, vessel of singular devotion, 
mystical rose, tower of David, tower of ivory, house of 
gold, ark of the covenant, gate of heaven, morning star, 



240 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

health of the weak, refuge of sinners, comforter of the 
afflicted, help of Christians, queen of angels, queen of 
patriarchs, queen of prophets, queen of apostles, queen 
of martyrs, queen of confessors, queen of virgins, queen 
of all saints pray for us." 

The popish school book says, " if you will be a true 
child and a sincere servant of the blessed virgin, you 
must be careful to perform four things. 1. Have a great 
apprehension of displeasing her by mortal sin, and of 
afflicting her motherly heart by dishonoring her son, 
and destroying your soul. And if you chance to fall 
into that misfortune, have recourse readily to her, that 
she may be your intercessor in reconciling you to her 
son, whom you have extremely provoked. 2. Love and 
imitate her virtues, especially her chastity and humility. 

3. Have recourse to her in all your spiritual necessities, 
and to that end offer to her daily some particular prayers. 

4. Be mindful to invoke her in temptations, and in the 
dangers you find yourself in of offending God. You 
cannot shew your respect better, than by applying your- 
self to her in those urgent necessities, and you can find 
no succor more ready and favorable than hers. If you 
perform this you will have a true devotion to the blessed 
virgin, you will be of the number of her real children, 
she will be your mother, under whose protection you will 
never perish." 

The following is a curious illustration of the effect of 
popery in respect to the confidence placed in the protec- 
tion of Mary in the hour of death. Describing an Italian 
banditti, a traveller says : '• Every robber had a silver 
heart, containing a picture of the Madonna, (or virgin 
Mary,) and child, suspended by a red ribbon to his neck, 
and fastened with another of the same color to his side. 
They talked pretty freely with their prisoners about 
themselves and their habits of life, which they maintained 
arose from necessity rather than choice. They shewed 
them the heart and picture of the Madonna, which each 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 241 

had suspended about his neck, saying, ' we know that we 
are likely to die a violent death, but in our hour of need 
we have these, (touching their muskets,) to struggle for 
our lives with, and this, (kissing the image of the vir- 
gin,) to make our death easy. 1 " 

The foundation of this idolatry seems to have been the 
belief, that the body of Mary, after her death, was in a 
miraculous manner, raised from the tomb and taken to 
heaven. The substance of the story is as follows. " She 
lived, as the papists suppose, to the age of 63. At the 
time of her death, as St. Dennis, and St. Damascene are 
said to testify, all the apostles, wherever dispersed, were 
miraculously brought together, except St. Thomas, who 
arrived the third day after. Both before and after her 
death, for several days, the angels and powers of heaven 
are said to have sung most melodious hymns. They 
buried her in Gethsemane ; but for the sake of St. Tho- 
mas, who desired to see and reverence the sacred body, 
they opened the sepulchre the third day, and finding it 
void of the holy body, but exceedingly fragrant, they re- 
turned, assuredly deeming that her body was assumpted 
into heaven, as the church of God (i. e. popery) holdeth, 
being most agreeable to the singular privilege of the 
mother of God, and therefore celebrated most solemnly 
the day of her assumption." It is needless to say, that 
this is all modern invention, not indeed a cunningly de- 
vised fable, for it is so silly as to be sickening, but it is a 
fable. It appears from the whole evangelical history, 
that Christ never intended that Mary should be honored 
with any peculiar attention above his other followers. 
He always rebuked any intimation of such honor. It is 
therefore of comparatively modern date that this fable 
has been devised. Perhaps enough has been said to il- 
lustrate the idolatrous devotion of papists to the Virgin. 
But as this constitutes so large a portion of the entire 
mass of popish idolatry, justice to the subject requires a 
few move extracts. 

21 



342 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

It is related by Bernardine, that Mary herself once 
appeared to St. Thomas Becket, and spake as follows. 
" Rejoice and be glad and be joyful with me !" said the 
virgin Mary, " because my glory doth excel the dignity 
of all the saints, and all the blessed spirits, and I alone 
have greater glory than all the angels and saints togeth- 
er. Rejoice, because, that as the sun doth enlighten the 
day, and the world, so my brightness doth enlighten the 
whole celestial world ! Rejoice, because the whole host 
of heaven obeyeth me, reverenceth and honoreth me ! 
Rejoice, because my son is always obedient to me and 
my will, and my prayers he always heareth !" or as oth- 
ers do relate, " the will of the blessed Trinity and mine 
is the same, and whatsoever doth please me, the whole 
Trinity, with unspeakable favor, doth give consent unto. 
Rejoice, because God doth always, at my pleasure, re- 
ward my servitors in this world, and in the world to 
come ! Rejoice, because I sit next to the Holy Trinity, 
and am clothed with my body glorified ! Rejoice, be- 
cause I am certain and sure that these my joys will 
always stand, and never be finished nor fail ! And who- 
soever, by rejoicing with those spiritual joys, shall wor- 
ship me in this world, at the time of the departure of his 
soul out of the body, he shall obtain my presence, and I 
will deliver his soul from the malignant enemies, and 
present it, in the sight of my son, that it may possess joys 
with me." They tell us that many that would not sin 
on Saturday, for the reverence of the virgin, whatever 
they did on the Lord's day, seem to have blessed the 
virgin in greater veneration, than Christ her son, moved 
thereunto, out of simplicity more than out of know- 
ledge. Yet that the son of God doth bear with the sim- 
plicity of those men and women, because he is not igno- 
rant that the honor of the mother doth redound to the 
child. They argue farther, that if a cardinal have this 
privilege, that if he put his cap upon the head of any one 
that is led unto justice, he is freed thereby, then by an ar- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 243 

gument drawn from the stronger, the cloak of the blessed 
virgin is able to deliver us from all evil, her mercy 
being so large, that if she should see any man who did 
devoutly make her crown, (that is to say, repeat the rosa- 
ry or chaplet of prayers made for her worship,) to be 
drawn unto punishment in the midst of a thousand devils, 
she would presently rescue him, and not permit that any 
one should have any evil end, who did study reverently 
to make her crown. They add moreover, that for every 
one of these crowns, a man shall obtain two hundred and 
seventy three thousand, seven hundred and fifty-eight 
days of indulgence ; and that Pope Sixtus IV. granted 
an indulgence of twelve thousand years for every time 
that a man, in a state of grace, should repeat this short 
orison or salutation of the Virgin, which by many is 
inserted in her crown, viz. " Hail most holy Mary, the 
mother of God, the queen of heaven, the gate of paradise, 
the lady of the world, thou art a singular and pure vir- 
gin, thou didst bear Christ without sin ; thou didst bear 
the Creator and Saviour of the world, in whom I do not 
doubt. Deliver me from all evil and pray for my sins. 
Amen." 

In the crown composed by Bona venture, the following 
is one of the orisons prescribed to be said. " O empress, 
and our most holy lady, by the authority of a mother, 
command thy beloved son, our Lord Jesus Christ, that 
he would vouchsafe to lift up our minds from the love of 
earthly things unto heavenly desires, which is suitable 
unto that verse which we read in the 35th Psalm of his 
lady's Psalm. Incline the countenance of God upon us, 
and compel him to have mercy upon sinners." It must 
here be stated by explanation, that a Psalter has been 
composed by papists for the express worship of Mary, in 
which those passages that are usually directed to the only 
wise God, are applied to the virgin. The above quo- 
tation is from this book. The expression compel, seemed 
a little too harsh for modern ears, so that it has been 



244 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

qualified in some editions, so as to read, compel him by 
thy prayers, to have mercy on sinners. 

It is here to be remarked that the papists are highly 
offended at being called idolaters, and it may not be 
amiss to spend a few moments in examining the plea by 
which they endeavour to avoid this charge. They pre- 
tend that when they pray to the virgin Mary, they mean 
only to ask the benefit of her prayers, as one Christian 
friend asks the prayers of another. And that when they 
worship her, they mean only to give that civil respect 
which is due to a superior. They have accordingly 
different words for expressing their different degrees of 
worship. Latvia, they say, means divine worship, which 
they give to God alone. Doulia, signifies that inferior 
sort of worship which is due to saints and angels. And 
beyond this, they have their Hyperdoulia, which signifies 
that superior kind of inferior worship which is due to a 
creature so exalted as the virgin Mary. This may look 
specious in theory. But of what use are these capillary 
distinctions to the great body of men? If a man is seen 
on his knees praying to the virgin Mary as the source of 
all good, and trusting his salvation to her hands, who 
will feel that he pays her only civil respect 1 Where, in 
Christian countries, is such respect shewn to superior 
creatures? Even angels refused to receive such homage. 
Who ever asked the prayers of Christian friends in this 
manner ? Suppose one Christian neighbor should go to 
the house of another, and should fall on his knees and 
utter the language addressed to the virgin Mary, would 
he not be esteemed mad ? Besides, the terms Latria, 
and Doulia, in the original, have no such distinction in 
their meaning as that made by papists. They are used 
indifferently for divine worship, and when one is used 
to denote civil respect, it is connected with other words, 
which limit its meaning, and guard against idolatry. 
Whatever then may be the theory of popery on this 
subject, its practice is downright idolatry, such as no 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 345 

created being can be justified in receiving. Take the 
following prayer from Cardinal Noailles as an example. 
" Give us access to thy Son, Mary, who has found grace 
before the Lord, who art blessed among women, who hast 
brought life into the world, and art the mother of salva- 
tion. Let him who hath been given us by thee, receive 
us by thee ; let thy purity excuse to him our corruption., 
let thy humility, which hath been so agreeable to God, 
obtain pardon of our vanity, let the abundance of thy 
charity cover the multitude of our sins, and thy glorious 
fruitfulness shed on us a happy fruitfulness of merits and 
good works. Thou art our queen or mediator, our ad- 
vocate. Reconcile us with thy son, recommend us to thy 
son, present us to thy son. See again we come to thee, 
fruitful mother, mother without spot, in whom, God the 
master of the universe, who dwelleth in other saints 
spiritually, hath dwelt bodily." 

Though it may be said that this prayer is as remark- 
able for blasphemy as idolatry, yet who will say there is 
no idolatry here ? Is not divine perfection requisite, and 
supposed to exist in a being to whom such requests are 
made I If Mary were regarded merely as a departed 
saint, how is she to hear or gain a knowledge of these 
requests? Do departed saints hear human language? 
Moreover, how is Mary, as a saint, to attend to all the 
different prayers of her votaries in various parts of the 
world at the same time ? On some of her festivals, there 
may be supposed to be millions of prayers ascending to 
her from different parts of the globe at once. Now if she 
is a mere saint of higher order, how is she to hear these 
prayers ? and if she cannot hear them, why are they 
made ? No, the worship of Mary implies that her vo- 
taries esteem her to be divine, to possess omniscience and 
omnipresence. Otherwise their worship would be too 
barefaced an absurdity to obtain credit even with papists. 
A few additional examples to illustrate the grossness of 
this worship, will close this branch of papal idolatry. 
21* 



246 HISTORY OP POPEKY. 

Bernardine relates a vision which he says was shown to 
St. Francis. He saw two ladders that reached from 
earth to heaven, the one red, upon which Christ leaned, 
and from which many fell back and could not ascend ; 
the other white, upon which the holy virgin leaned, the 
help whereof, such as used, were by her received with 
cheerful countenance, and so with felicity ascended into 
heaven." The purport of this story must be obvious to 
every reader, it is nothing less than that the help of the 
virgin is more efficacious and sure, than the help of 
Christ. Must her votaries then not regard her as divine ? 
But St. Anselm, and after him other popish authors, 
directly assert, that " more present relief is sometimes 
found by commemorating the name of Mary, than by 
calling on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ her only 
son." This needs no comment. " If popish tales are 
true," says McCulloch, "the popish church is under 
very strong obligations, to pay all this homage, and a 
great deal more, to the virgin. There is scarcely any 
favor which she has withheld from her devout worship- 
pers. She has delivered them from sickness, restored 
their eye sight, preserved them from dangers, saved them 
from the gallows, and even raised them from the dead, 
and what must peculiarly tend to the consolation of 
papists, she is not at all squeamish in the choice of her 
votaries. Sinners, being her subjects, make up her 
crown and glory." " Know thou," said the virgin, (if 
we may credit papists,) to St. Bridget, " my dearest child, 
that there is no man in the world so lewd or accursed 
of God, that he is entirely forsaken of him while he 
lives, no sinner so desperate but he may return, and 
find mercy with him, provided he has recourse to me." 
This benevolence of the virgin does not operate to de- 
liver men from their sins, but from the deserved punish- 
ment. If they pray to the virgin at last, or have, amidst 
their iniquities, honored her, all is right and will end in 
peace. A certain Gascon soldier is said by papists, to 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 247 

have spent his fortune, and afterwards, for particular 
reasons, to have sold himself to the devil, and renounced 
the Saviour. No temptation, however, could induce him 
to sacrifice his interest with the virgin. This confidence 
in her protection secured him from his old acquaintance 
the devil, who began to be troublesome, notwithstanding 
his former friendship. On prostrating himself before an 
image of the virgin Mary with the child Jesus in her 
arms, he was greatly comforted by the following dialogue 
between the two idols. " Virgin. O, my sweet son, have 
mercy on this man." " Christ. Why, mother, what 
would you have me do with this wretch, who has re- 
nounced me V 9 The virgin then prostrated herself before 
her son and again demanded his pardon. This was 
irresistible. The little image raised the large one from 
the ground and replied, " I never yet refused my mo- 
ther anything she asked, I grant it for your sake, and 
for yours alone." Should any sceptical reader inquire 
how these images held this conversation, or how the 
little image could leap from the arms of the great one 
and raise it up from the ground, he must go to pa- 
pists for an answer, remembering that this is the least 
marvelous part of the story. Again, a certain wicked 
fellow is said to have fallen into the Danube, and re- 
mained under water three days. In ordinary cases there 
would have been some danger of drowning. But to the 
rogue's great surprise, he was addressed in his watery 
retreat in the following terms. " Thou well deservest, 
base rascal, to lose thy life, and be condemned forever 
for thy sins ; but because thou art a servant of the virgin 
Mary, thou shalt be delivered from this danger, that thou 
mayest go and be confessed." Up he came accordingly, 
and made the above declaration to the priest. St. Bridget 
is said to have had a son, who followed the profession of 
a soldier, and died in the wars. Hearing the news of 
his death, she was much concerned for the salvation of 
her son, who had died in so dangerous a condition. And 



248 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

as she was often favored by God with revelations, of 
which she has composed a book, she was assured of the 
salvation of her son by two subsequent revelations. In 
the first, the blessed virgin revealed to her that she had 
assisted her son with a particular protection at the hour 
of death, having strengthened him against temptations, 
and obtained all necessary grace for him to make a holy 
and happy end. In the next, she declared the cause of 
that particular assistance she gave her son, and said 
it was in recompense for his great and sincere devotion 
which he had rendered to her during his life, wherein 
he had loved her with a very ardent affection, and had 
endeavored to please her in all things. Is anything less 
than omniscience implied in these accounts? Must not 
the virgin Mary see and know the hearts and thoughts 
of all that worship her ? Must she not be acquainted 
with the temptations to which every young man and 
woman is exposed, that she may provide a remedy? 
Such knowledge belongs to God only. And to ascribe 
these attributes to creatures, and to worship them for the 
supposed possession, is idolatry beyond controversy. It 
will be said, perhaps, that these stories are all fictions and 
fables. Be it so. Still they show the practice and feel- 
ings of papists, and the practical influence and tendency 
of popery, as much as the fables of paganism illustrate 
its qualities. 

Another item in the account of popish idolatry is the 
worship paid to St. Ann, the mother, or supposed mother, 
of Mary. This personage constitutes the second god- 
dess in the papal pantheon. " I give," says a late writer, 
" the following extracts from an abridgment of the pre- 
rogatives of St. Ann, mother of the mother of God, which 
has the approbation of the popish doctors of Paris. If 
my readers should feel shocked by the grossness and im- 
piety of it, I can truly say that I sympathize with them, 
and that, though I feel it my duty to expose the abomina- 
ble wickedness of popery, I have no pleasure in making 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 249 

such an exposure as the following : — ' She (St. Ann) was 
the mother of the mother of God, the grandmother of 
God himself. Figure to yourself, chaste spouse of 
Christ, a royal eagle flies from mountain to mountain, to 
choose a tree which may serve the design, to feed there, 
and breed her young ones. Imagine, now, that God is this 
eagle, who, running over with his eyes, as it were, so many 
beautiful trees, all the women who were to be found from 
the first to the last, perceived not any one so worthy to re- 
ceive the glorious virgin, who was to be the little germ of 
the heavenly eaglet, who is the Word, incarnate, as St. 
Ann, in whom he rested himself as in the tree of paradise, 
which he knew to be the tallest in devotion, the deepest in 
humility, the largest in charity, and of the most pleasant 
odour in sanctity. So if, in one word, you would know 
the price of that crown which St. Ann bore on earth and 
in heaven, it must be said, and this is to say all, that her 
treasure and her crown was the giving being to her, who 
gave it to God, which is to be crowned with the merits of 
Mary, like the tree with its flowers and fruit. Whence 
it is to be concluded that the dignity, the grace, and the 
holiness, of this only and perfect daughter, ought to re- 
flect back on her mother, even to a point. That she ren- 
dered her incomparable in her sanctity as she was in her 
dignity. For of two things, one must necessarily hap- 
pen ; either that this holy virgin had not the power, or 
that, having the power, she communicated to her what- 
ever we can fancy, greater in grace. So that it is true 
in some sort, and good divinity to say, that the felicity of 
the saints is derived from Mary, and that there is nobody 
who is not obliged to her for the fortification of his pa- 
tience, for the victory over his temptations, for preserva- 
tion from falls, for augmentation of his merits, for his 
final grace, and finally for his glory. This principle 
supposed, who will doubt that St. Ann was the master- 
piece of the workmanship of Mary, and that the power 
of this last was the measure of the excellence of the 



250 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

former ? And it is one of the greatest miracles of mys- 
teries of our religion, that the children give life to their 
parents ; and those who are not yet, give admirable ad- 
vantage to those that already are. Thus Jesus is the son 
of Adam according to nature, and his father according 
to grace. Thus, St. Ann is, in the state of grace, the 
daughter of her daughter, the holy virgin, by a plenitude 
of grace which she from her received. Which ought 
not to be thought strange by him who has tasted the sense 
and universal consent of the fathers, who assert that 
what was given in plenitude to Christ, ought in propor- 
tion to be attributed to the holy virgin. The glory of 
Jesus Christ, the fourth reason of the prerogatives of St. 
Ann, requires that St. Ann be such to be his worthy 
grandmother. St. Ann having been chosen in the ideas 
of eternal predestination, to be the grandmother of Jesus 
Christ, ought not this step to comprehend as many excel- 
lencies as demonstrate the sublimeness of this saint's per- 
fection ? There need be used only the dignity of her 
name as grandmother of Jesus Christ. This is an argu- 
ment which the apostle uses to prove the pre-eminence 
of Jesus Christ above the angelic natures, for that he was 
the Son of God. The dignity, therefore, of St. Ann, 
consists in her having, by the conception and nativity of 
the virgin, entered into the economy of the incarnation, 
and into the state of the hypostatical union. She was by 
this her daughter exalted into so dazzling a throne of 
glory, that there are only above it, the trinity of uncreated 
persons, the humanity of Jesus Christ, and the holiness 
of her daughter, mother of God. In our indigencies 
and our wants, we must address ourselves by St. Ann to 
the virgin, and by the virgin to Jesus Christ, and by Je- 
sus Christ to God the Father, who can refuse nothing to 
his Son, no more than he can to his mother, or she to 
her's, who is St. Ann.' " Thus it appears that this St. 
Ann is a kind of door-keeper in heaven ; she moves the 
virgin, and the virgin moves Christ, and Christ moves 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 251 

God ; and it might be premised, that the pope moves St. 
Ann, and money moves the pope. St. Ann, then, is the 
primum mobile in heaven, money and the pope on earth. 
The other characters in the papal catalogue are passive 
in their movements, acting under the influence of strong 
attachment to each other, rather than from any moTal 
considerations. St. Ann is, then, the all important cha- 
racter and advocate ; if you gain her, you gain the rest 
of course. The whole heathen world may be challenged 
to produce a family of deities more perfectly humanized 
than this. Though the sacred names of God and of 
Christ are used in this compound, they are used pro- 
fanely, and associated with characters and actions alto- 
gether derogatory to deity. The whole is therefore a 
family of idols, and the whole papal worship is idolatry. 
This is true of their chief gods and goddesses. But not 
contented to bring the mother and grandmother of Christ 
after the flesh, into the list of deities, the papists have a 
long list of inferior deities, like the Lares and Penates of 
the ancient pagan Romans, or like the Tees, Woden, and 
Thor, of the ancient Britons. To these lesser gods and 
goddesses the papists pay homage and worship, which 
is a direct and palpable violation of the first command. 
" Thou shalt have no other gods before me." The de- 
tails of this idolatry are tedious and gross, and must be 
disgusting in the extreme. A summary view, however, 
is necessary to place the subject in any just light. Let 
the reader, then, summon his patience to the task of ex- 
ploring more perfectly the interior of this papal pan- 
theon. And' here it is hardly necessary to say, that 
" Worship God " is the distinguishing principle of true 
religion ; and that every practice which differs from this, 
or gives any degree of worship or homage to creatures 
in any form or manner, is idolatry. And it may promote 
a right understanding of the subject here to remark, that 
the systems of pagan idolatry have always had their 
retinue of inferior deities or demigods. These have, 



252 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

in the original Greek, been denominated Daimones. 
This class of deities is referred to in the New Testament 
in the following passages : — 1. Tim. iv. 1, " Giving heed 
to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils" The word 
here translated devils is daimones, and literally means 
demons, or the numerous inferior deities of the heathen. 
True devils are at the bottom of it, as they are of all false 
religion ; but the term denotes a particular form of idol 
worship. The same word, daimones, is, in Acts xvii. 18. 
rendered gods : " Others said he seemeth to be a setter 
forth of strange gods ;" literally, demons, because he 
preached to them Jesus and the resurrection." The idea 
of the Athenians evidently was, that Paul, by preaching 
Jesus, was going to add to their list of inferior deities, or 
that he set forth some hero as worthy of divine honors, 
whom they had not known. This class of demons was 
composed of departed heroes, who had been renowned in 
their day, and who, when dead, were supposed to exert a 
kind of tutelar care over certain places, persons, and 
things. Such were Hercules, Esculapius, and many 
others. This feature of ancient idolatry appears to have 
suggested to the papists the idea of deifying, or what they 
call canonizing, certain saints, or eminent persons in the 
history of the church, and giving to them certain honors 
and homage which partake of idolatry. In fact, as will 
more fully appear at the conclusion of our present exa- 
mination, popery, in this respect, is nothing more or less 
than ancient paganism under a new name and in a new 
dress. And farther, it will be seen, that when prosperous 
days visited the church, and she began to taste the sweets 
of earthly things, and to be actuated by a desire to extend 
her limits and influence, that to conciliate and allure the 
heathen around, and bring them within her pale, she 
by degrees adopted the substance and spirit of paganism, 
retaining only her own forms and names. A great and 
fatal mistake this, of which all reformers and missiona- 
ries ought to be aware, lest, in their zeal to make con- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 253 

verts, they convert the gospel to the heathen and the im- 
penitent, instead of converting them to the gospel. Such 
has been the error of popery ; and in all her forms and 
ceremonies, she is only a great shell of Christianity, filled 
with the spirit and abominations of pagan idolatry. 

The first fact in support of these remarks is, that the 
Rotunda at Rome, now devoted to the virgin Mary and all 
the saints, is the very temple which was anciently dedi- 
cated by Agrippa to Jove and all the gods. For this rea- 
son it was called the Pantheon, which term is of Greek 
derivation, denoting an edifice dedicated to all the gods, 
or the temple of all the gods. It is the most distin- 
guished heathen temple now remaining in the world. 
" And," says Middleton, " with this single alteration, (of 
occupants,) it serves as exactly for all the purposes of the 
popish, as it did for the pagan worship, for which it was 
built. For as, in the old temple every one might find the 
god of his country, and address himself to that deity to 
whose religion he was most devoted, so is it now, every 
one chooses the patron whom he likes best ; and one may 
see here different services going on at the same time, at 
different altars, with distinct congregations around them, 
just as the inclinations of the people lead them to wor- 
ship this or that particular saint. And what better title 
can the new demi-gods show to the adoration now paid to 
them, than the old ones, whose shrines they have usurped ? 
Or how comes it to be less criminal to worship images 
erected by the pope, than those which Agrippa or Ne- 
buchadnezzar set up ? If there be any real difference, 
most people, I dare say, will be apt to determine in favor 
of the old possessors ; for those heroes of antiquity were 
raised up into gods, and received divine honors, for some 
signal benefits of which they had been the authors to 
mankind ; or the invention of arts and sciences ; or of 
something highly useful and necessary to life. Whereas, 
of the popish saints, it is certain, that many of them were 
never heard of but in their own legends and fabulous 
22 



254 HISTORY OF POPERV. 

stories ; and many more, instead of any service done to 
mankind, owe all the honors now paid them to their vices 
or their errors ; whose merit, like that of Demetrius in 
the ^cts, was their skill of raising rebellions in defence 
of an idol, and throwing kingdoms into convulsions for 
the sake of some gainful imposture. And as it is in the 
Pantheon, it is just the same in all the other heathen 
temples that still remain at Rome. They have only 
pulled down one idol to set up another, changing rather 
the name than the object of their worship. Thus the 
little temple of Vesta, near the Tiber, mentioned by Ho- 
race, is now possessed by the Madonna of the Sun ; that 
of Fortuna Virilis, by Mary the Egyptian ; that of Sa- 
turn, where the public treasure was anciently kept, by St. 
Adrian ; that of Romulus and Remus, in the " via sacra," 
by two other brothers, Cosmus and Damianus ; that of 
Antonine, the godly, by Laurence, the saint. But for my 
part, I had sooner be tempted to prostrate myself before 
the statue of a Romulus or an Antonine, than that of a 
Laurence or a Damian ; and give divine honors rather 
with pagan Rome to the founders of empires, than with 
popish Rome, to the founders of monasteries." With 
this general view of the popish worship of demons, and 
its exact correspondence with that of ancient paganism, 
it is proper to give some more particular description, that 
the subject may be understood somewhat in detail, as 
without such a particular account, very little indeed will 
be known. For this purpose, as limits will not allow 
a particular account of all, or a considerable number of 
popish saints, it will be proper to give the history of one 
or two individuals as samples of the rest. 

The following is an abridged account of St. Wenefride ; 
the tutelar deity of Wales. This example is selected, 
because the history of this popish heroine has been lately 
published by a popish author, and is therefore an exam- 
ple more fresh from the mint of popery. The work al- 
luded to is entitled, " The Life and Miracles of St. We- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 255 

nefride, virgin, martyr, and abbess, patroness of Wales, 
to which are added the litanies of the holy saint. Printed 
by W. E. Andrews, 1817." This history is indeed very 
ridiculous, and brings to view one of those idle, worth- 
less, and useless beings, called holy virgins by the pa- 
pists, who effect nothing for their own age or subsequent 
ages, worthy of imitation or praise. If such a person 
ever existed, she has been nothing but a nuisance to the 
world, by the great expense of time and property which 
her worship occasions, and for which the world receives 
no equivalent. But, if we would form any correct idea of 
popery, and of its fruits in the practice of all who come 
under its influence, we must hear the story gravely pub- 
lished by a recent papal advocate, puerile and absurd as it is. 
" In the seventh age of man's redemption flourished 
many saints of both sexes. Among these was St. Beuno, 
the glorious instrument of St. Wenefride's second life and 
sanctity. He was born of noble parents in Montgomery- 
shire. This zealous monk, St. Beuno, having finished 
his monastery at Clynoc Vaws, in Carnarvonshire, found 
himself powerfully inspired to visit his relations in Flint- 
shire. It is true that he had long before bid adieu to all 
the ties of flesh and blood, but he understood this call as 
a voice from heaven. A rich and potent lord in that part 
of North Wales where Holywell now is, had married 
the virtuous and noble lady Wenlo, sister to St. Beuno. 
His name was The with. These parents of St. Wene- 
fride, by an exemplary and truly Christian life, surpassed 
their high extraction. St. Wenefride, the glory of West 
Britain, was born in the troublesome reign of king Cad- 
wallawn. And St. Beuno made his visit to his brother- 
in-law's house in the reign of king Elwith the second. 
The venerable monk, having much humility and great 
modesty, made himself known, told them he was sent by 
Almighty God, to honor him there, as he had done in 
other places ; and that he neither expected nor craved 
any other favor than a small parcel of his large territo- 



256 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 



ries, sufficient to build a church on ; ' where others with 
myself,' said he, * will daily pray for your safety and 
happiness.' Thewith was not in the miserable catalogue 
of those thoughtless, blind worldlings, who are prodigal 
in vanity and ostentation, but start and frown at the first 
proposal of parting with small matters for the advantage 
of their souls. In short, he received the proposal with 
gratitude, and immediately conveyed to the holy father 
the manor in which he then lived. And he asked in re- 
turn but one favor, which was, that his only child, a ten- 
der virgin, his special comfort, might be instructed by the 
monk in heavenly documents, that her life and conversa- 
tion might be holy, pleasing to God, and joyful to her 
parents. The nobleman, after this gift, retired to another 
seat, which overlooked the holy church, where the ser- 
vants of God praised their Maker. 

" As to St. Wenefride, it was the intention of her pa- 
rents to marry her to some nobleman of the country, and 
bestow on her a most plentiful fortune ; but, by St. Beu- 
no's frequent discourses, she understood how great, how 
good, and how glorious, the heavenly Spouse was ; that 
voluntary virgins are like angels upon earth ; that they 
follow the Lamb wherever he goeth. She understood 
that the honors of the world, and its pleasures, are short- 
lived, so that the very thought of an earthly husband be- 
came hateful unto her. Wherefore she resolved to keep 
herself undefiled, and to consecrate her pure virginity to 
the Lord of heaven and earth. One main difficulty, 
however, was to render her parents favorable to this hea- 
venly call. St. Beuno, she knew, was honored by them 
as a saint, and therefore that he had great power and au- 
thority with them. To him, therefore, she resolved to 
communicate her resolution, and to solicit his agency in 
bringing the subject before her parents. Finding him 
alone one day, and at liberty, she acquainted him with the 
holy fruits of his moving discourses ; and after a very 
pathetic manner, humbly petitioned for his zealous con- 



HISTORY OF POPERy. 257 

eurrence in preserving the rich treasure of her virginity, 
which she had resolved never to part with for all the 
offers the flattering world could make hei\ The saint 
was most agreeably surprised at this most welcome news, 
and he undertook the work of mediation with the pa- 
rents. No sooner had St. Beuno delivered his message, 
and explained the nature of the offering, that it would be 
a sort of holocaust, to sacrifice their affections, and be- 
queath to their God the dearest creature in the world, 
than, contrary to the weakness of other parents, tears of 
joy came trickling down Lord Thewith's cheeks, who, 
with his spouse, broke out in the praises of Jesus Christ 
for so highly favoring their only child. They then called 
for their daughter, and gave her full and free leave to for- 
sake the world, wishing her a happy progress in the way 
of perfection. They likewise declared that as the hea- 
venly Spouse had made choice of her, they intended to 
make him heir of what they designed for her dowery, by 
disposing of the same to his great honor, in pious and 
religious uses. The pious virgin receiving the covetted 
grant, concluded that she could never return sufficient 
thanks to God for the favor. 

"The virtue of this holy virgin was however assaulted 
by a cruel Welch prince named Cradocus, who found 
her at home and alone, one day, while the rest of the 
family were at church. The holy virgin by a false pre- 
text escaped, and made the best of her way to the church. 
But Cradocus overtaking her, and being scorned, as he 
thought, gave such a deadly blow with his sword to her 
neck, that the first stroke severed the head from the 
body. The head falling on the decent of the hill, rolled 
down to the church, Avhere the congregation were kneel- 
ing before the altar. As they were terrified at the bloody 
object of her head, so they were astonished to behold a 
clear and rapid spring, gushing out of the spot of ground 
her head had first fallen upon, which to this very day is 
visited from all parts,, by devout pilgrims. The place of 
22* 



258 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

her martyrdom had before her death, the name of dry 
valley, or barren bottom, which was changed into the 
title of Finhon, which in old Welch signifies a fountain 
or well. It was also observed that the stones of the well 
were tinctured with drops, as it were of blood, to perpe- 
tuate the memory of what she had shed for the love of 
Christ, and in process of time it was taken notice of, that 
the moss about the well had a very fragrant smell, as an 
emblem of the odour of her angelic virtues. 

" To close the last act of this inhuman tragedy and to 
relate the dreadful stroke of divine justice on the cruel 
tyrant, we are to premise with brevity, that the first 
grief of the holy virgin's parents, is not to be expressed, 
seeing their dear child so villanously butchered almost 
before their eyes. St. Beuno's virtue was also put to 
the test, to bear the loss of so devout a creature. Tears 
came trickly down his cheeks at the sight of the horrid 
murder. The afflicted people with united voices called 
upon heaven for speedy execution against him who had 
committed that heinous outrage. Indignation accompa- 
nied compassion, when they beheld the unrelenting as- 
sassin wiping his bloody sword upon the grass, and glory- 
ing in the detestable deed, without any fear of God or 
man. St. Beuno was preparing to offer up the unbloody 
sacrifice of our redemption, but being inspired by him, 
who declares vengeance belongeth to me, I will repay, 
he left the altar, and taking the blessed martyr's head in 
his trembling hands, he mounted the ascent towards Cra- 
docus. He feared not such a blow as was given to the 
tender virgin. On the same account, for the love of 
Christ, he would have bid it welcome. Faithful ser- 
vants of God dread nothing, sin only excepted. Being 
come up to him he said, ' thou wicked man ! who, without 
any regard to innocence or beauty, hast massacred a 
princely virgin, no less nobly born than thyself. Nor 
dost thou repent, or seem sorry, as thou oughtest to do 
for this horrid sacrilege. I here beseech my heavenly 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 259 

Lord, that for an example to others, he will be pleased to 
execute his divine judgment against thee, who hast mur- 
dered his spouse, troubled his people, violated his sab- 
bath, and besprinkled this holy house with blood, which 
I consecrated to his service.' As the earth swallowed up 
rebellious and perverse Korah, so some affirm, that at 
Beuno's last words, Cradocus not only dropped down 
dead, but also that the earth opened to give passage to 
the luxurious body to sink towards his monstrous soul ; 
or that the master whom he had served, the devil, carried 
it off, for it is certain, that the carcass of the cruel mur- 
derer never afterward appeared. The faithful glorified 
God in his justice, but could not curb their grief. St. 
Beuno earnestly exhorted the parents and people to turn 
from lamentations, and to address the Creator of souls, 
and raiser up of dead bodies, that as he commanded 
Lazarus back to life, so to his great honor and glory, and 
for the comfort of the sorrowful parents, who had so ge- 
nerously dedicated this darling child to his service, he 
would graciously vouchsafe to restore her to life. He then 
joined the sacred head to the pale body, covering both 
with his cloak, after which he offered up the holy sacri- 
fice of our redemption, (i. e. the mass.) After mass was 
ended, he lifted up his hands to heaven, and made the 
following prayer. 

" ' O Lord Jesus Christ, for whose sake this holy virgin 
contemned the world, and languished after thee, by the 
tender bowels of thy mercy, love and bounty, be graci- 
ously pleased to grant us the effect of our vows and 
prayers, humbly offered unto thee. We are fully persua- 
ded, that this godly virgin, who lived'holily and died for 
thee with great constancy, is now highly exalted, and 
wants no more the society of us mortal and miserable 
creatures. Yet to manifest thine omnipotence and su- 
preme dominion, which thou has over our souls and 
bodies, which are never dead to thy power of reuniting 
them, as also to multiply the merits of that body which 



260 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

lies here before us, we crave a second life for her, to the 
end, that after a long and plentiful harvest, laden and en- 
riched with new merits, she may return unto thee her 
eternal spouse, and the beloved of her heart, who 
with the Father and the Holy Ghost, rulest on 
earth, and reignest in heaven, for ever and ever.' The 
pious people drowned in tears, and having with sighs 
and moving sobs, answered devoutly, amen — the virgin 
arose as newly awaked from sleep. She wiped her eyes 
and face to clear away that glorious dust which had 
settled on her lovely head when it tumbled towards her 
dear St. Beuno. When her parents and others fixed 
their eyes upon her neck, they observed a pure white 
circle, no larger than a small thread quite round it, de- 
noting the place where the separation had been made, 
which always afterward remained. From this, the 
great veneration of the people for her, changed her name, 
which was Brewa, into that of Wenefride, (i. e. white 
circle.) In the many apparitions after her second death, 
when she shewed herself to her devout clients, they al- 
ways took special notice of the aforesaid white circle, 
which intimated to them the indelible mark of her 
spouse's affection, for suffering that mortal wound so 
courageously for his sake." It may here be inquired in 
view of the popish tale, whether any thing surpassing it 
in superstitious fable can be found among all the marvel- 
lous stories of paganism. Take the labors of Hercules 
among the Greeks and Romans, or the abduction of Pro- 
serpine, or a thousand other silly conceits of heathen 
nations, such as the incarnations of the gods of the Hin- 
doos, and the various adventures of their divine heroes 
or heroines, and do they not compare exactly in spirit, and 
tendency, and authenticity with this history of St. Wene- 
fride. And yet the papists stoutly contend that this 
saint did work miracles, and was deserving of religious 
homage. The account above given is followed by some, 
as they are called, pious reflections which still more ex- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 261 

hibit the spirit of the system. They are as follows. 
" Whatever this incredulous age may think of this great 
miracle of our saint's return to life, it appeared so evident 
to the West Britons, and redounded so much to the honor 
of God's church, St. Beuno's sanctity, and the power he 
had with his creator, that many pagan people remaining 
in those parts, came to hear the holy man's instructions in 
the catholic faith, and to receive baptism." There sure- 
ly was no wonder in this, for pagan people would of all 
others be most likely to be attracted by such devices, so 
exactly similar to their own. But continue the pious re- 
flections. " Saint Wenefride according to her former 
practice, like Mary at the feet of Christ, sat on a low seat 
before him, (St. Beuno.) She was never satisfied with 
the heavenly manna which fell from his angelic tongue. 
She counted as nothing what she had already done or 
suffered, and restless to be more strictly united to her be- 
loved spouse she aspired to the height of perfection. 
Wherefore she most humbly begged upon her knees to 
be solemnly veiled, according to the custom of the primi- 
tive ages, that by entering into a religious course of life, 
she might put hell to great confusion, which had fiercely 
attempted to dishonor God and herself; but mostly that 
she might pour forth her soul in the presence of her 
eternal spouse, with a flaming and disengaged heart, en- 
tirely his, and say, ' Behold I have left all things and 
have followed thee.' St. Beuno, with tears of joy com- 
plied with this religious request and performed the cere- 
mony in a numerous assembly, He knew to what a 
degree of sanctity the spirit of God would raise her, for 
his own glory and the improvement of others, therefore 
he spent whole days in cultivating her soul in what re- 
garded a religious state. She as an apt scholar, took in 
so fast the frequent lessons, and put them in practice so 
punctually, that it struck her master into admiration. 
He, finding her so far advanced in an interior life, that 
she was even able to direct and govern others in the way 



262 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

of perfection, one day called her parents, and after the 
following manner delivered unto them his sentiments 
and resolutions." 

What follows is a high commendation for their distin- 
guished liberality, and an announcement of his determin- 
ation to go to another place. " This intelligence greatly 
affected the saint Wenefride. . And to comfort her in 
such deep affliction, St. Beuno took her by the hand, and 
led her to the crystalline fountain, the place of her mar- 
tyrdom, where they, sitting together on a stone, bearing to 
this day the name of St. Beuno's stone, which lieth now in 
the outward well, you see, said he, the monument here of 
your sufferings. Behold also the stones, as tinctured with 
your blood, which was shed for the glory of your heavenly 
spouse. Be you, therefore, attentive and mindful of what 
I do foretell you concerning three special favors, whereby 
your glorious spouse, Jesus Christ, will hereafter honor 
yourself, and, by your prayers, benefit others. The first 
is, that these bloody spots shall never be washed off from 
the said stones, but ever remain, as triumphant signs of 
your blood spilt in defence of your chastity. The second 
is, that any person who shall devoutly ask temporal 
blessings, or freedom from spiritual or corporeal distress, 
to be obtained by your merits and intercession, the same 
shall compass his request, if it be to the honor and glory 
of God, by paying their devotions three times at this 
well. If what he petitions be not for the advantage of his 
soul, and therefore is not granted, at his death, by your 
prayers, he shall reap more ample fruit, and in the next 
world everlasting blessings. The third, that after my 
departure into a more remote part of this island, God will 
give me a cell near unto the sea shore, so that whenever 
you send any letters or tokens to me, as I entreat you to 
do at least once a year, only cast them into the stream of 
this fountain, and they will come safe unto me ; which 
wonders will be gloriously divulged of you to the end of 
the world. He then conducted her back to the church, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 263 

where he added : Behold this church and buildings round 
it, which have been raised by the munificence of your 
parents, these I leave unto you to be converted into a mo- 
nastery of chaste and holy virgins, who, moved by your 
pious instructions and exemplary life, may put in prac- 
tice those divine lessons, which I have often delivered unto 
you ; that is, the contempt of the world, and an entire ab- 
negation of themselves, which are the foundation of reli- 
gious perfection. Strive, therefore, dear child, in all 
things to exhibit yourself as a lively pattern of virtue. 
As to my poor self, I will go whither the Spirit of God 
shall direct me, and shall ever retain in my heart and 
soul a most fatherly and loving memory of you." 

In the foregoing account we see that petitions and wor- 
ship were to be offered at the holy well, called by the 
name of this saint Wenefride, and that petitioners were to 
expect an answer. And if their petitions were not im- 
mediately answered, they were to rest assured that the 
real interests of her votaries would be promoted, and that 
they would certainly obtain eternal blessings. What more 
can be said of Deity? Is not this paying divine honor 
to a creature, and can any man look at this example and 
say that popery is not chargeable with rank idolatry, in 
having other gods, before or in the presence of the true 
God, as his rivals in the affections and services of men ? 
Miraculous powers were also ascribed to this saint. 
Diseased persons, in great numbers flocked to her for 
miraculous cures. And by such cures, it is said, " the 
spreading fame of St. Wenefride was wonderfully dila- 
ted." They are declared to have been frequent, and 
divulged through all parts of Wales. 

Enough, in all conscience, probably the reader will 
say, of this silly story about saint Wenefride. But the 
object of this history, be it remembered, is not so much 
to gratify the reader, as to present a faithful picture of 
popery. And as the story of this saint is taken as a sam- 
ple ; and as the particulars of no other of the many idols 



264 HISTORY OF POPERT. 

of popery, all equally silly and disgusting, will be given, 
the patience of the reader is entreated, while, in a few 
paragraphs more, the legend of this Welsh idol is ren- 
dered complete. 

St. Beuno and St. Wenefride, as has been stated, be- 
fore their separation, agreed on a novel method of cor- 
respondence. Any article or communication from the 
latter to the former, need only to be deposited in the holy 
well, and it would be wafted directly, free of freight or 
postage, to the vicinity of St. Beuno's residence, which 
was far off on the seashore. 

St. Wenefride was not tardy in putting the matter to 
the test of experiment. Impelled by a grateful sense of 
his goodness, who, by his prayers, had obtained for her 
a second life, and whom she honored as an eminent ser- 
vant of God, and as her own spiritual father and master, 
she wished to make some small return in token of her 
remembrance and gratitude. About a year after his de- 
parture, therefore, with the help of her religious sisters, 
she finished a curiously embroidered vestment, and wrap- 
ping the same in a woollen cloth, she went down with 
her religious sisters and others to the well side, and cast- 
ing the bundle into the water, said, " Holy father, accor- 
ding to your command and my promise, I send you this 
small token of my love." To the great astonishment of 
numerous beholders, the bundle passed down the stream 
into the river, then into the sea, and finally landed near 
the monastery where saint Beuno dwelt, many miles 
distant from the holy fountain. 

The holy man, St. Beuno, walking on the seashore, 
discovered the bundle, and wondered what it should be. 
But, opening the package, he remembered the charge 
which he had given to St. Wenefride. The bundle, as 
appeared on examination, as he had predicted, came to 
him without any wet or moisture. This vestment he pre- 
served with great care in the church for the celebration 
of holy mass. He likewise received, according to popish 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 265 

narration, " fresher lights of her present and future sanc- 
tity ; how much Almighty God would be honored by 
her, not only at Finhon, but in other places whither di- 
vine providence should direct her to go. The virgin 
never intermitted to send him a yearly present, till his 
most happy death, which was revealed unto her, and the 
glorious reward he was crowned with in heaven." The 
memory of this event is authenticated, in popish estima- 
tion, in the following manner. In Carnarvonshire, eight 
miles distant from the city of Carnarvon, there is a little 
creek, running up from the sea, called Porthy Casseg, 
which is a corruption of Porthy Cassul, which means 
the port of the vestment. Here it is supposed that the 
first package of St. Wenefride landed, after its miracu- 
lous passage, and gave a name to the little port, which it 
retains to this day. This the papists consider as ample 
evidence of the fact related in the story. Near this 
creek, it is said, was a large parish church, called Clyn- 
nog, in which St. Beuno was buried, his last founded 
monastery being there. His tomb, say popish writers, is 
still extant, and held in great veneration by the inhabi- 
tants. On the windows of this church, the history of St. 
Wenefride is said to be curiously wrought by paintings, 
though now so defaced as to be scarcely perceptible. 
The whole of this wonderful history, however, is based 
on tradition. And as this, in papal estimation, is the 
unwritten word of God, a late popish writer thus con- 
cludes. " Let it be lawful for me to say, that as to hu- 
man faith, uninterrupted tradition, from father to son, for 
so many centuries, is a clearer attestation of fact, than if it 
had been recorded in written history." Thus the whole 
is proved, and thus any thing can be proved by tradition. 
Here we have a specimen of the common herd of popish 
idols or demons. These ordinary demons cannot, like 
the virgin Mary, do every thing, and be in all places at 
the same time ; therefore, the popish church has found it 
necessary, for convenience sake, to make a distribution 
23 



266 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

and division of labor among- the demons which she wor- 
ships, just as a master-workman distributes his laborers. 
Thus, St. James has the care of Spain, St. Sebastian of 
Portugal, St. Denis of France, St. Mark of Venice, St. 
Nicholas of Muscovy, St. Barbara of Germany. Before 
the reformation, St. George had charge of England, St. 
Andrew of Scotland, and St. Patrick of Ireland. But 
the papists not only divide their demons in reference to 
different countries, over which they are said to preside, 
out also in reference to different employments. Thus f 
St. Nicholas and St. Christopher have the care of sea- 
men ; St. Catherine presides over students ; St Austin 
takes charge of theologians, St. Luke of painters, St. Ivo 
of the lawyers, St. Eustachius of hunters, St. Crispin of 
shoemakers ; St. Magdalene and St. Afra have charge of 
vicious women. Some of these worshipful demons are 
put to the most servile employments, and are mere drudges 
in the business of popish deities : St. Anthony, for exam- 
pie, has charge of swine, and is thus a standing hog-hay- 
ward ; St. Pelagius has the care of the cows, St. Eulo- 
gius of horses ; St. Vendeline and St. Gallus have the 
care of the sheep and geese. Thus also papists direct 
their votaries to pray to St. Peter for the gift of submis- 
sion, to St. Agnes for continency, to lady St. Ann for 
wealth, to St. Margaret for child-bearing, to St. Rochus 
for protection against the plague, to St. Petronilla against 
the ague, to St. Apollonia against the toothache. Bache- 
lors must not go to St. Peter, for he was a married man : 
nor married men to St. John, because he was a bachelor. 
Every one must apply to a saint in his own profession : 
just as you would go to a tailor for a garment, or a 
blacksmith to shoe your horse. This is what the papists 
call a discreet variety in her worship, honorable to the 
church, and advantageous to her poor members. The 
advantage of this arrangement, however, it is presumed, 
falls to the lot of the priests, whose business and emolu- 
ment is increased in proportion to the number of deities. 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 267 

But who can fail to discover in this an exact copy of the 
ancient heathen demonology ? The heathen of Greece, 
Rome, and Britain, had their tutelar deities, presiding 
over different countries and places, and patronising diffe- 
rent employments. They had also their days devoted to 
their several deities, and called hy their names. Of this 
the present names of the days of the week are a remarka- 
ble example, viz. : Sunday, the day of the Sun ; Monday, 
the day of the Moon ; Tuesday, the day of Tues ; Wed- 
nesday, the day of Woden ; Thursday, the day of Thor ; 
Friday, the day of Fries ; Saturday, the day of Saturn. 
The heathen had also their seasons of the year, or annual 
festivals, in honor of their deities ; for which reason, 
those seasons or days were named after the demon wor- 
shipped : thus, the day called Easter was a day devoted 
to the worship of a Saxon demon, named Estern, or Oes- 
tern. This festival was observed early in the Spring, 
and, in accommodation to nominal converts from the 
heathen, the papists named their festival of the resurrec- 
tion of Christ Easter. This term has very improperly 
found its way into our translation of the bible, in Acts 
xii. 4. The original word in this passage is passover ; 
and this error in translating serves to show the over- 
whelming influence of popish habit, even upon those who 
have thrown off the papal yoke. But, in accordance 
with the above mentioned practices of heathenism, we 
find that papists have their days devoted to particular 
demons, called by Christian names. Of this our com- 
mon calendars and almanacs will afford evidence ; for, 
though printed in protestant countries, and by protestant 
hands, yet they are generally filled with these remains 
of popish idolatry. A memorable example of this truth 
may be found in the festival called candlemass, which 
occurs on the second day of February. This festival, 
among the ancient heathen, was called Lupercalia, and 
was designed to celebrate the fabled search of Ceres for 
her daughter Proserpine. In this search, the mother 



HISTORY OF POPERY, 

used candles, the better to enable her to examine every 
retired corner. With most stupid servility, the papists 
honor this day with a procession of lighted candles, and 
call the day candlemass. 

Such is the idolatry of popery as it stands opposed to 
the first commandment of the decalogue, '"' Thou shait 
have no other gods before me," (or in my presence.) 
The papists, as we have seen, do have a multitude of dei- 
ties, of different grades and employments, from the vir- 
gin Mary down to the tutelar gods of geese and swine. 

But there is another ground on which popery is liable 
to the charge of idolatry, and that is the use of images 
in worship. To constitute idolatry in this respect, as 
we have already seen, it is not necessary to w r orship the 
image as God, or as containing a divinity, but to use 
images as representatives of deity, or to worship them 
as such is a direct violation of the second command. And 
a most impressive evidence that the papists feel them- 
selves to be vulnerable on this point is, that they have 
omitted the second command in their statements of the 
decalogue, and supplied its place by dividing the tenth 
\^ into two. This is the same as to acknowledge that they 
cannot meet the charge of idolatry with any hope of 
success, while the second command has a standing in the 
moral law of God. It can be nothing less than a tacit 
admission, that their use of images is a palpable viola- 
tion of this command. With this fact in view, let us 
examine the popish practice of image worship. 

The following constitution was established by Thomas, 
archbishop of Canterbury, in a provincial council held 
at Oxford, 1408, viz. " From henceforth let it be taught 
commonly, and preached by all, that the cross and the 
image of the crucifix, and the rest of the images of the 
saints, in memory and honor of them whom they figure, 
as also their places and relicts, ought to be worshipped 
with processions, bendings of the knee, bowings of the 
body, incensings, kissings, offerings, lighting of candles, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 269 

and pilgrimages, together with all other manners and 
forms whatsoever, as hath heen accustomed to be done in 
our, or our predecessors' times." In the popish cate- 
chism, authorized by the council of Trent, the parish 
priest is directed to instruct the people as follows. " Not 
only that it is lawful to have images in the church, and 
to give honor and worship unto them, (forasmuch as the 
honor which is done unto them is referred unto the 
things which they represent,) but also that this hath still 
been done to the great good of the faithful ; and that the 
images of saints are put in churches, as well that they 
may be worshipped, as that we, being admonished by 
their example, might conform ourselves to their life and 
manners." In regard to the nature of the worship 
offered to the images, we are taught, " It must not only 
be confessed, that the faithful in the churches do adore 
before the images, (as some peradventure would caute- 
lously speak,) but also adore the image itself without 
what scruple you will, yea they do reverence it with the 
same worship, wherewith they do the thing that is rep- 
resented thereby. Wherefore if that ought to be adored 
with latria, or divine worship, this also is to be adored 
with latria ; if with doulia, or hyper-doulia, this is like- 
wise to be adored with the same kind of worship. And 
so we see that St. Thomas Aquinas doth directly con- 
clude that the same reverence is to be given to the image 
of Christ as to Christ himself; and by consequence, see- 
ing Christ is adored with the adoration of latria, or 
divine worship, his image is to be adored with the ado- 
ration of latria.' 91 Here it is to be observed that the 
common plea of worshipping the image as a mere rep- 
resentative of absent deity is not true. For here it is 
distinctly avowed, and sanctioned by the name of Thomas 
Aquinas, than which no higher popish authority can be 
adduced, that the image itself is to be worshipped, and 
to be worshipped in the same manner as that which it 
represents. The consequence of this is, that when the 
23* 



270 HISTORY OF POPEXT> 

image is consecrated, it possesses a portion of divinity in 
itself, and is therefore to all intents and purposes a 
god. A great divine in Spain has declared, concerning 
the above doctrine of Thomas Aquinas, that the image 
and the sampler represented by it are to be worshipped 
with the same act of adoration, that it is most true, most 
pious, and very consonant to the decrees of faith. This 
he says "is the doctrine not only of St. Thomas, and his 
disciples, but also of all the old schoolmen almost." It is 
then to be received as an established and authorised doc- 
trine of popery, that images are not only to be used in 
worship, but that they are really to be worshipped. And 
the practice of papists is in strict conformity with this 
doctrine. 

In speaking of the mass, the fact has been stated that 
popery teaches its votaries to believe that the bread and 
wine, in the Lord's supper, are changed into the real 
flesh and blood of Christ. Consequently, the host, as it 
is called, or the consecrated bread is Christ himself, in 
popish estimation. In accordance with this idea, those 
who receive the consecrated bread into their stomachs 
are viewed as receiving Christ, and as being spiritually 
united with him by that act. And when the consecrated 
host is elevated in the view of the people, they all wor- 
ship before it, and worship it, as they would Christ him- 
self. This is plainly idolatry. For though the bread 
bears no likeness in form, yet it is a material substance, 
and being such is worshipped as a real deity. All the 
bowing and kissing and adoring, therefore, directed to 
the elements used in the Lord's supper are most flagrant 
idolatry. 

Popery has made an image of God the Father, in the 
form of an aged man, to denote wisdom and eternity. 
Thus papists have evidently changed the glory of the 
incorruptible God into an image made like the corrupti- 
ble man. For to represent eternity by the age of man, 
be he ever so old, is highly absurd ; and to denote divine 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 271 

wisdom by the wisdom of aged man is equally inconsist- 
ent and ridiculous. The image of Christ is usually 
that of a body extended on a cross. The Holy spirit is 
represented by a dove, probably from a mistaken appre- 
hension of the passage in which the descent of the spirit 
is described. John i. 32. " I saw the spirit descending 
from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon, him." This 
passage does not say that the spirit descended in the 
bodily shape of a dove, but its descent was attended with 
some visible sign, in the manner of a dove, hovering over 
and alighting upon him. If one should say that a man 
fell from some height to the earth like a stone, would he 
mean that the man had the form and appearance of a 
stone ? And here, it cannot be amiss to remark, that all 
those representations of deity by pictures and forms visi- 
ble to the eye, such as a dove to represent the spirit, or 
an eye in the clouds, to represent the all-seeing God, or 
any other similitude, even if not designed for worship, 
are in degree a violation of the second command, and are 
false and dangerous ; consequently should be avoided in 
all protestant countries. A style of crockery has lately 
appeared, called the millennium pattern, which is liable to 
severe reprehension on this account. It is but a remnant 
of popery. 

But papists have not been content with single repre- 
sentations of the persons in the Godhead, they have gone 
to such lengths of impiety, as to make an image of the 
Trinity, in the form of a man with three faces. It is 
then matter of truth that the papists do make images of 
the invisible God, images of the Father, Son, and Holy 
Ghost ; and worship them, in direct contravention of the 
second command. They also make images of men, and 
women ; which are set up and worshipped in their as- 
semblies. In Rome is an image of St. Peter, the great 
toe of which is said to be actually worne away by the 
kissing of devout worshippers, in the course of ages. 
It must be no common worship or zeal that can wear 



272 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

away inches of solid marble by application of the lip?. 
The following is the form of prayer used in the conse- 
cration of images as authorised by pope Urban VIII, 
" Grant O God, that whosoever, before this image, shall 
diligently and humbly upon his knees, worship and honor 
thine only begotten son, or the blessed virgin, (accord- 
ing as the image is, that is consecrated,) or this glorious 
apostle or martyr, or confessor, or virgin, that he may 
obtain, by his or her merits or intercession, grace in this 
present life, and eternal glory hereafter.' 7 

In Loretta is an image of the virgin Mary, who is in 
fact the idol of the place. Middleton relates, that in the 
high street of Loretta, which leads to the holy house r the 
shops are filled with beads, crucifixes, lambs of God, 
and all the trinkets of popish superstition, where he ob- 
served printed certificates or testimonials affixed to each 
shop, declaring all their toys to have been touched by 
the blessed image ; which certificates are provided for 
no other purpose, but to humor the general persuasion, 
both of the buyer and the seller, that some virtue is com- 
municated by that touch, from a power or divinity resi- 
ding in the image. " For what else," says he, " can we 
say of those miraculous images, as they are called, in 
every great town in Italy, but that some divinity or power 
is universally believed to reside in them? Are not all 
their people persuaded, and do not all their books testify 
that these images have sometimes moved themselves from 
place to place, have wept, talked, and performed many 
miracles, and does not this necessarily imply an extraor- 
dinary power residing in them ?" The above mentioned 
author also relates from the journal of a certain traveller, 
that in one of the churches of Lucca, they show an im- 
age of the virgin with the child Jesus in her arms, of 
which the following story is told. " A blasphemous 
gamester, in a rage of despair, took a stone and threw it 
at the infant ; but the virgin, to preserve it from the blow 
which was aimed at its head, shifted him instantly from 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 273 

her right arm into the left, in which he is now held ; 
while the blasphemer was swallowed up by the earth 
upon the spot, where the hole, which they declare to be 
unfathomable, is still kept open, and enclosed only with a 
grate, just before the altar of the image. The virgin 
however received the blow upon her shoulder, whence 
the blood presently issued, which is preserved in a chrys- 
tal, and produced with the greatest ceremony by the 
priest in his vestments, with tapers lighted, while all the 
company kiss the sacred relic on their knees." On 
this account Dr. v Middleton justly inquires. " Now does 
not the attestation of this miracle naturally tend to per- 
suade people that there is an actual power residing in 
the image, which can defend itself from injuries, and in- 
flict vengeance on all who dare to insult it?" 

St. Dominic was the founder of the Inquisition, and of 
course has been a great favorite in the ranks of popery. 
" One of the most celebrated images in Italy," says Dr. 
Middleton, " is that of St. Dominic of Surriano, in Ca- 
labria ; which, as their histories testify, was brought 
down from heaven about two centuries ago by the virgin 
Mary in person, accompanied by Mary Magdalene and 
St. Catharine. Before this glorious picture as they af- 
firm, great numbers of the dead have been restored to 
life, and hundreds from the agonies of death ; the dumb, 
the blind, the deaf, the lame have been cured, and all sorts 
of diseases and mortal wounds have been healed ; all 
which facts are attested by public notaries, and confirmed 
by the relations of cardinals, prelates, generals and pri- 
ors of that order, and the certainty of them so generally 
believed, that, from the 9th of July to the 9th of August, 
the anniversary festival of the saint, they have always 
counted above a hundred thousand pilgrims, and many 
of them of the highest quality, who come from different 
parts of Europe to pay their devotions and make their 
offerings at this picture." Aringhus, as cited by Mid- 
dleton, makes the following remarks respecting images 



274 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 



in general, and respecting the image of St. Dominic in 
particular. " Within these few years, under every pope 
successively, some of our sacred images, especially of 
the more ancient, have made themselves illustrious, and 
acquired a peculiar worship and veneration by the exhi- 
bition of fresh signs, as is notorious to all, who dwell in 
this city. But how can I pass over in silence the image 
of St. Dominic, so conspicuous at this day for its never 
ceasing miracles, which attract the resort and admiration 
of the whole Christian, world. This picture, which, as 
pious tradition informs us, was brought down from hea- 
ven, about the year of our redemption 1530. is a most 
solid bulwark of the church of Christ, and a noble monu- 
ment of the pure faith of Christians, against all the impi- 
ous opposers of image worship. The venerable image is 
drawn indeed but rudely, without the help of art or pen- 
cil, sketched out by a celestial hand, with a book in its 
right hand, and a lilly in its left, of a moderate stature, 
but of a grave and comely aspect, with a robe reaching 
down to the heels. Those who have written its history, 
assert that the painters, in their attempts to copy it. have 
not always been able to take similar copies, because it 
frequently assumes a different air, and rays of light have 
been seen by some to issue from its countenance, and it 
has more than once removed itself from one place to an- 
other. The worship, therefore, of this picture is become 
so famous, through all Christendom, that multitudes of 
people, to the number of a hundred thousand and up- 
wards, flock annually to pay their devotions to it, on the 
festival of the saint. And though it be strange which I 
have now related, yet what I -am going to say is still 
stranger, that not only the original picture, not made by 
human but by heavenly hands, is celebrated by its daily 
miracles, but even the copy of it, which is piously pre- 
served in this city, in the monastery called St. Mary's 
above the Minerva, is famous also in these our days, for 
its perpetual signs and wonders, as the numberless vo- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 275 

uve offerings hanging around it, and the bracelets and 
jewels which adorn it, testify." 

Such is the worship of St. Dominic's images by pa- 
pists ; and, as he was a blood-thirsty, cruel man, their 
high estimation of his character, shown in their worship 
of his image, proves that such a character is consonant 
to the prevailing feelings of papists. The worship of 
Bacchus and Venus by the ancient heathen, indicated 
their own licentiousness : so the popularity attending the 
worship of St. Dominic, the Moloch of modern idolatry, 
shows the prevalent spirit of popery. The story of the 
picture of St. Dominic being brought down from heaven, 
is evidently borrowed from the ancient heathen tradition 
concerning the image of Diana of Ephesus, that it fell 
down from Jupiter out of heaven. It was a favorite 
notion of the heathen, that they had shields and swords 
made by the gods ; and old Vulcan, the divine black- 
smith, had a great deal of custom from this nether world. 
And it would seem, from the foregoing heathenish tale 
about the picture of St. Dominic, that there are painters in 
heaven, who can represent, though but rudely, earthy bo- 
dies, and give their paintings earthy substance. How this 
can be, the credulous worshippers of Dominic do not in- 
form us. But it is vain for any advocate of popery to tell 
us after this that images are only worshipped as visible re- 
presentatives of absent divinity, when they are believed to 
have consciousness and the power of working miracles. 

It must be evident, therefore, that popery stands, in the 
face of the world, chargeable with open and authorized 
idolatry. And there is no plea by which she attempts to 
shelter herself from this charge, which would not be 
equally valid in defence of the idolatry of the heathen. 
Is it said that images and pictures are calculated to im- 
press truth upon the mind 1 So said the Hindoo who once 
visited London. He very much censured the want of 
images in the churches of protestant Christians. He 
said the worshippers had nothing upon which they could 



276 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

fix their attention, and hence they were often gazing at 
each other, and often at mere inanity. " We," said he, 
"have in our temples an image of the Deity to look at, 
with large eyes, huge ears, great hands, and long feet. 
Not that we believe this very image to be the Deity, but 
we use it only to fix our attention, and to remind us that 
the being whom it represents, can see every thing, and 
hear every thing." Who does not see that this argu- 
ment, though coming from a heathen, is equally applica- 
ble to the practices of popery ? 

Will it be said that there is something specious in the 
canonization and festive honor of eminent men. The 
same may be said, and doubtless has been felt in all its 
force, by the heathen. The worship of the calf in the 
wilderness, by the Israelites, was esteemed and treated 
as downright idolatry. But there were many plausible 
reasons for this worship, more perhaps than we at first 
imagine. The worship of the calf is supposed to have 
been suggested by the worship of the god Apis, in Egypt. 
This god was represented by the figure of an ox, and the 
ox is supposed to have been chosen in reference to the 
service rendered to Egypt by Joseph, the great deliverer 
of the nation from famine. The years of plenty and of 
famine had been represented in the dream of Pharaoh, 
each by seven kine. On this account probably, the ox, 
or kine, which is the female of the same species of ani- 
mal, became a symbol of the deliverance of Egypt, and 
of Joseph the deliverer. The Israelites understood this. 
And when Moses had been absent so long as to lead them 
to despair of his return, what would be more natural than 
for them to think of Joseph, the illustrious benefactor of 
their race, whose bones they were transporting with 
them ; and, thinking of him, what would be more natu- 
ral than to think of his representative, in the worship to 
which they had been witnesses in Egypt ? And what 
more plausible, in the absence of Moses, than to attempt 
to invoke the presence of Joseph, by the worship of the 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 277 

young ox ? This is all plausible, and perfectly conso- 
nant with the feelings of the carnal mind. But it was 
rank idolatry nevertheless. The principle was wrong. 
They were not to look to any finite power or deliverer, 
but to God only. Him they were taught to worship, 
and to have no gods before him. The heathen might 
have many plausible things to say in favor of their ido- 
latry. They honor and celebrate eminent men, heroes, 
and deliverers. Hercules destroyed various monsters 
that desolated the earth, and who could refuse him di- 
vine honor ? What better can be said of popish saints, 
who make up the list of demons in the worship of po- 
pery ? What more, for example, can be said of St. Pa- 
trick, the tutelar demon of Ireland, supposing it true that 
he cleared that island of venomous reptiles, as tradition 
relates ? Indeed the worship of creatures for their real 
or imaginary virtues or benefactions all stands on the 
same principle, whether it be papal or pagan. It is 
loving and serving the creature rather than the Creator, 
and this is idolatry. The same principle, followed out, 
will lead to the worship of the sun, moon, and stars, and 
indeed to the worship of four-footed beasts and creeping 
things. It is all idolatry from first to last. And popery 
is almost as deeply involved in this guilt as paganism. 



SECTION VIII. 

PERSECUTIONS OF POPERY. 

It has been the boast of the advocates of popery, that 
the church of Rome never persecuted. The manner in 
which this conclusion is reached is so much of a curio- 
sity, and affords so choice a specimen of popish logic, 
that it deserves a particular statement. The papists de- 
fine persecution to be, violence used towards the friends 
of the truth, and the true church of Christ, whereby they 
24 



278 HISTORY OF POPERY. 



suffer for righteousness' sake. The bearing of this den" 
nition will be seen by every reader. The papists consi 
der themselves the only friends to the truth, and their 
nominal church as the only true church of Christ. Con- 
sequently there can be no persecution, in their view, but 
what is directed against themselves. All who differ from 
them are heretics, as they say, and to use violence with 
heretics, even to imprison and destroy them, by any 
means, or to any extent, is no persecution ; because it is. 
as they say, their duty to suppress heretics, and to sup- 
port the true faith. If any measure is taken to restrict 
papists, or to limit their power, this is persecution, awful 
violence against the friends of the truth. Papists must 
V have full liberty to think, speak, write, and publish a? 

/ they please ; and all who differ from them, however con- 

scientiously or justly, are enemies to the truth, and de- 

V. serving of utter destruction. On this ground the papists 

allege, that none but their opposers have ever perse- 
cuted. But papists do not appear to reflect, that this 
principle would prove that there is, and can be, no such 
thing as persecution. The heathen of old pagan Rome 
held that their religion was the only true religion, and 
consequently, that all who opposed, or adopted any new 
system, were contemners of the gods, and enemies to re- 
ligion. On this ground they proceeded to use vrolence. 
And if Rome papal is correct in her position, Rome pa- 
gan was correct in hers, and there never has been any 
such thing as persecution. The fallacy of this reasoning 
lies in the principle assumed in the definition of persecu- 
tion. The truth is, every accountable agent is his own 
judge as to what true religion is ; and no one has the right 
to judge for another. Persecution, therefore, consists in 
using violence or constraint with men, for believing and 
practicing what they conscientiously judge to be truth 
and duty. This is the right of conscience, and so long 
as it keeps within its proper sphere, and does not in- 
fringe on the rights of others, or the public welfare, it 



J 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 279 

must be held sacred. To deny this right is persecution. 
And the papists, by assuming to themselves the right of 
controling the consciences of their fellow-men, assume 
the principle and attitude of persecutors. — - 

Another principle of persecution adopted and carried \ 
into practice by papists is, that no faith is to be kept with 
heretics. This is as much as to say, that all who do not 
receive their doctrines and opinions implicitly, are to be * 
disfranchised, and not entitled to any of the rights of } 
moral beings. The most solemn promises and treaties, 
in these circumstances, have no binding force in the esti- \ 
mation of papists. This sentiment, indeed, is nothing / 
less than a sentence of universal outlawry, passed against 
the human family if they do not choose to become pa- 
pists. But, as the adoption of this principle by papists is 
sometimes denied, the first illustration of popish perse- 
cution may properly be the proof, that popery maintains 
the sentiment that no faith is to be kept with heretics, ^r 

Here it may be remarked, that the doctrine of indul- 
gences, when carried out to its legitimate consequences, 
implies this sentiment. For if the pope, or his priests, 
can commute crimes and punishments ; if they can grant 
absolution at all ; they can do it in respect to breaches of 
faith, as well as to any other offences, and thus nullify at 
a blow the most solemn obligations and engagements. 
That the doctrine of indulgences is understood by papists 
themselves to have this extent of application, is evident 
from the dispensation given to the king and queen of 
France, and to their successors forever, by pope Clement 
VI. It is as follows, viz : — " Clement, bishop, servant 
of the servants of God, to our most dear son and daugh- 
ter in Christ, John and Joan, king and queen of France, 
greeting, and our apostolic benediction. Your desires 
we willingly approve of, and especially those, wherein 
may God graciously give you that peace and repose of 
soul you piously seek after ; hence it is that we, ready to 
answer your humble request, do, by our apostolic au- 



280 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

thority, grant by these presents, an indulgence forever 
hereafter, to you and your successors, that for the time 
being, shall be kings and queens of France, and to every 
of you and them ; that such confessor, regular or secu- 
lar, as you and they shall choose, may commute, for such 
vows as you may have alreadj- made, or which, by you 
or your successors, may be hereafter made ; (vows touch- 
ing the holy land, the blessed apostles, Peter and Paul, 
and of chastity and continence only excepted ;) and also 
such oaths by you taken, and by you and them to be 
taken, in all times coming, that you and they cannot 'pro- 
fitably keep ; by other works of piety, as to him shall 
seem expedient towards God, and for the peace of your 
and their souls. Be it, therefore, utterly unlawful for 
any upon earth to annul this our grant, or by any act of 
temerity to controvert the same. And be it known to 
any one that presumptuously attempts so to do, that he 
forthwith incurs the wrath of Almighty God, and of his 
blessed apostles, Peter and Paul. Given at Avignon, 
May 12, 1347." 

This indulgence, every one can see, saps the founda- 
tion of all faith, by allowing men to disregard their so- 
lemn oaths, when they cannot profitably keep them. Of 
course, oaths and engagements to heretics can be dis- 
pensed or commuted. But direct evidence of the senti- 
ment in question is abundant. Gregory VII. made a de- 
cree prohibiting all to keep faith with excommunicated 
persons, until they made satisfaction. And as all heretics 
were excommunicated of course, this decree reaches the 
point in question, and not only allows papists to break 
their faith with heretics, but requires them to do it. 
Martin V. says, in one of his epistles, "Be assured that 
thou sinnest mortally if thou keep thy faith with here- 
tics." Gregory IX. made the following law : — " Be it 
known to all who are under the jurisdiction of those who 
have openly fallen into heresy, that they are free from 
the obligations of fidelity, dominion, and every kind of 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 281 

obedience to them ; by whatever bond or means they are 
tied to them ; and how securely soever they may be 
bound." On this law, a popish bishop makes the follow- 
ing comment : — " Governors of forts, and all kinds of 
vassals are, by this constitution, freed from the bond of 
the oath, whereby they had promised fidelity to their 
lords and masters. Moreover, a catholic wife is not 
obliged to perform the marriage contract with a heretical 
husband. If faith is not to be kept with tyrants, pirates, 
and other robbers, who kill the body, much less with 
obstinate heretics, who kill the soul. Aye, but it is a sad 
thing to break faith. But, as saith Merius Salomonius, 
faith promised against Christ, if kept, is verily perfidy. 
Justly, therefore, were some heretics burnt, by the most 
solemn judgment of the council of Constance, although 
they had been promised security. And St. Thomas, also, 
is of opinion, that a Catholic might deliver over an in- 
tractable heretic to the judges, notwithstanding he bad 
pledged his faith to him, and even confirmed it by the 
solemnity of an oath." Saith Bonacina, " Contracts 
made against the canon law are invalid, though confirmed 
by an oath ; and no man is bound to stand to his promise, 
though he had sworn to it." Pope Innocent, in his bull 
against the Waldenses, in 1487, declares on the strength 
of his apostolical authority, that " all those who had been 
bound and obligated by contract, or any way whatever, 
to grant or pay any thing to them, should not be under 
any manner of obligation to do so for time to come." 
Pope Pius V., by his legate, endeavored to persuade the 
emperor, " that no faith or oaths were to be kept with an 
infidel." The emperor Charles V., having given his 
promise and safe conduct to Luther in attending the diet 
at Worms, was urged by papists to violate it, by arresting 
Luther on the spot, which he refused to do. But this 
great point need not be rested on the declarations of indi- 
viduals. We may cite the authority of the council of 
Constance, which assembled in 1414, to which papists 

24* 



382 HISTORY Of POPERY. 

allow the greatest deference. The theory of this council 
in regard to the point in question, is as follows, viz : — 
" The holy synod of Constance declares concerning every 
safe conduct granted by the emperor, kings, and other 
temporal princes, to heretics, or persons accused of he- 
resy, in hopes of reclaiming them, that it ought not to be 
of any prejudice to the catholic faith, or ecclesiastical 
jurisdiction, nor to hinder but that such persons may and 
ought to be examined, judged, and punished, according 
as justice shall require, if those heretics shall refuse to 
revoke their errors, although they shall have come to the 
place of judgment relying on their safe conduct, and 
without which they would not have come thither. And 
the person who shall have promised them security, shall 
not in this case be obliged to keep his promise, by what- 
ever tie he may have been engaged, when he has done 
all that is in his power to do." This was the deliberate 
sentiment of the council of Constance. And this senti- 
ment they proceeded to put in practice, in a manner and 
under circumstances which demands the execration of the 
whole civilized world. John Huss of Bohemia, being 
summoned to the council, to answer to a charge of 
heresy, and he with his friends fearing violence, the safe 
conduct of the emperor Sigismund was given him, in 
which the emperor pledged his word and honor that 
Huss should be protected from all violence till he re- 
turned to his place of residence. He accordingly came 
to the council. There he was found to be, in the judg- 
ment of the council, a heretic. He was accordingly 
condemned to the stake, and, without any regard to the 
solemn pledge of the emperor, publicly burnt. The 
emperor, indeed, endeavored to interpose, and manifested 
some conscience about his engagement ; but the holy fa- 
thers taught him, as in the decree above cited, that faith 
with heretics is not to be observed. Jerome of Prague, 
who was condemned and burnt by the same council, had 
a safe conduct from the council itself. So, in this case, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 283 

the pitiful subterfuge resorted to in regard to Huss, that 
he had only the pledge of the emperor, would not apply. 
The council violated their own solemn engagement, and 
burnt an innocent man at the stake, after they had assured 
him, by a deliberate promise, that his person should be 
safe among them. These facts establish the points in 
question, and fix the sentiment on the whole body of pa- 
pists ; because these things were done at a general coun- 
cil, composed of the highest dignitaries of their commu- 
nity, and its decisions have always been considered bind-' 
ing upon papists. In this council, according to popery, 
dwelt infallibility, and therefore papists of the present 
day, though they may shrink from an open avowal of 
this obnoxious sentiment, from which the intelligence of 
the present age revolts, must, by some shifts, defend the 
holy council, or bring it off, the best yvay they can. But 
to confess any thing wrong in the matter is out of the 
question, and would at once dissolve the charm of popery. 
The council of Trent, which met subsequently to the 
reformation, and more than a hundred years after the 
council above mentioned, distinctly recognized and sanc- 
tioned the decree of the council of Constance. This 
council of Trent is the last general council which has 
ever convened under the auspices of popery. It is plain 
therefore that the ordinance of Constance, has never been 
revoked by any competent authority, and that the ordi- 
nance now stands valid as a law of popery in all coun- 
tries. It may however be deemed expedient not to ad- 
vance the doctrine in all countries, and at all times. 
This however so far from making any thing in favor of 
popery, only shews, to use a vulgar proverb, that she 
has learned to conceal, as occasion requires, the cloven 
foot. 

Limborch in his history of the inquisition, brings many 
popish authorities to shew that it is a rule universally 
understood by papists that, " Subjects, when a prince or 
magistrate is a heretic, are freed from their obedience." 



284 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

Kings, whom the pope has pronounced heretics, have, 
with all their posterity, been deprived of all their digni- 
ties, jurisdictions, and rights, their subjects absolved from 
their oaths of allegiance and fidelity, and their domi- 
nions given as a prey to others. And finally they are 
deprived of their natural rights, and lose all property in 
every thing which they have. 

Eut more especially is this persecuting principle, that 
no faith is to be kept with heretics, illustrated by the 
practice of the inquisition. This court, as we have seen, 
is established on the pure principles of popery, and has 
always been to her as a right hand. When persons sus- 
pected of heresy are brought before this court, they are 
generally tempted to accuse themselves. And to induce 
them to do this, they are allured by promises, that if they 
frankly confess, they shall receive mercy. The faith of 
the holy office is th'us pledged to the person under ex- 
amination. But no sooner is confession made, than the 
faith is violated, and the criminal is consigned to punish- 
ment. Ifno confession is made, which answers the pur- 
pose of the inquisitors, though it may be the whole truth, 
yet the accused is subjected to the tortures of the rack 
until he will confess enough to ensure his destruction. 
An example of this sort occurred at Seville, as related by 
Limborch, from Gonsalvius. "About the yerr 1559, 
among others who were seized at Seville by the inquisi- 
tion, was a certain pious matron, with her two virgin 
daughters, and her neice, by her sister who was married. 
As they endured those tortures of all kinds, by which their 
enemies endeavored to make them perfidiously betray their 
brethren in Christ, and especially to accuse one another, 
the inquisitor at length commanded one of the daughters 
to be sent for to audience. There he discoursed with her 
alone for a considerable time, in order to comfort her as 
she needed. After the conversation the young lady was 
remanded to prison. After a few days he repeated the 
scene, and so from time to time, telling her how much 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 285 

he was grieved for her afflictions, and then intermixing 
familiarly other pleasant and agreeable things. All this 
was designed to gain the confidence of the young lady, 
and make her feel that he sympathized with her in her 
calamity, and was disposed, as a father, to consult her 
safety and that of her mother and sisters, if by any means 
it could be affected. After a few such interviews of sym- 
pathy and kindness, when he perceived that he had 
gained the young lady's confidence, he began cautiously 
to persuade her to discover to him what she knew of her- 
self, her mother, sisters, and aunts, who were not yet ap- 
prehended, promising upon oath, that if she would faith- 
fully discover to him all that she knew of that affair, he 
would find a method to relieve her of all her misfortunes, 
and to send them all back again to their houses. The 
young lady, being blinded by the promise, began to tell 
the holy father something relating to the doctrine she had 
been taught, and about which they used to confer with 
each other. When the inquisitor had thus got a clue, 
he dexterously endeavored to find his way through the 
whole labyrinth, sometimes calling the young lady to 
audience, that what she had deposed might be taken 
down in a legal manner, always persuading her that this 
would be the only certain means of removing all her 
evils. But at length when he had drawn forth what he 
could, and what he had not before extorted by torture, he 
determined to bring her again to the rack, and compel 
her to discover the whole. Accordingly she was made 
to suffer the most cruel tortures of the holy office, and in 
the extremity of her agony she accused her mother, sis- 
ters, and several others, who were all taken up, tortured 
and burnt in the same fire with the young lady, who had 
been the victim of this treachery." This case is only 
one among thousands which are almost constantly occur- 
ring in the proceedings of the holy office. The usual 
practice with the inquisitors has been to promise their 
prisoners mercy, and to confirm this promise by their 



286 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

solemn oaths, that they might by this means extort some- 
thing- either against the prisoners or their friends, and 
then to violate these oaths without hesitation or reserve. 

The persecuting principles of popery being thus esta- 
blished, it is time to proceed to the examination of the 
black catalogue of facts, in relation to this subject. But 
before this is done it may be proper to give a specimen 
of the sentences pronounced by the popes against those 
who offend them. From the spirit manifested in 
these, the reader will be in a measure prepared for what 
follows. The example chosen relates to the following 
case. The pope was the proprietor of some alum works 
on the continent. One of the workmen eloped, came to 
England and revealed the secrets of the trade. The 
pope sent after him an excommunication, which, it is 
needless to say, but poorly comports with the example of 
him who said " bless and curse not." 

" By authority of God almighty, Father, Son and 
Holy Ghost, and of the holy canons, and of the imma- 
culate virgin Mary, the mother and patroness of our Sa- 
viour, and of all the celestial virtues, angels, archangels, 
thrones, dominions, powers, cherubim, and seraphim : 
and all the holy patriarchs and prophets ; and of all the 
apostles and evangelists, and of the holy innocents, who 
in the sight of the holy Lamb, are found worthy to sing 
the new song ; of the holy martyrs and holy confessors : 
and of the holy virgins and all the saints together with ail 
the elect of God, we excommunicate and anathematize 

this thief, or this malefactor N , and from the 

thresholds of the holy church of Almighty God, we se- 
quester him, that he may be tormented, disposed, and 
delivered over with Dathan and Abiram, and with those 
who say unto the Lord God depart from us, for we de- 
sire not the knowledge of thy ways, and as fire is quench- 
ed with water, so let his light be put out forever, unless 
he repent and make satisfaction. Amen. May God the 
Father, who made man, curse him. May God the son, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 2SK 

who suffered for us, curse him. May the Holy Ghost, 
who was given to us in baptism, curse him. May the 
holy cross, which Christ for our salvation triumphantly 
ascended, curse him. May the holy and eternal virgin 
Mary, curse him. May St. Michael, the advocate of holy 
souls, curse him. May St. John, the chief forerunner 
and baptist of Christ, curse him. May St. Peter, St. Paul, 
and St. Andrew, and all the other apostles of Christ, 
together with the rest of his disciples and the four evan- 
gelists, curse him. May the holy and wonderful com- 
pany of martyrs and confessors, who by their holy works 
are found pleasing to God, curse him. May the holy 
choir of the holy virgins, who for the honor of Christ 
have despised the things of this world, curse him. May 
all the saints, who from the beginning of the world to 
everlasting ages are found to be the beloved of God, 
curse him. May the heaven and the earth, and all 
things therein remaining, curse him. May he be cursed 
wherever he may be, whether in the house or in the 
field, in the high way, or in the path, in the wood, or in 
the water, or in the church. May he be cursed in living 
and in dying, in eating, in drinking, in being hungry, in 
being thirsty, in fasting, in sleeping, in slumbering, in 
waking, in walking, in standing, in sitting, in lying, in 
working, in resting. May he be cursed in all the powers 
of his body. May he be cursed within and without. 
May he be cursed in the hair of his head, may he be 
cursed in his brain. May he be cursed in the crown of 
his head, in his temples, in his forehead, in his ears, in 
his eyebrows, in his cheeks, in his jaw bones, in his nos- 
trils, in his foreteeth, in his grinders, in his lips, in his 
throat, in his shoulders, in his wrists, in his arms, in his 
hands, in his breast, and in all the interior parts of the 
very stomach, in his reins, in his groin, and in his thighs, 
in his hips, in his knees, in his legs, in his feet, in his joints 
and in his nails. May he be cursed in the whole struc- 
ture of his members. From the crown of his head to 



\ 



288 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

the sole of his feet, may there be no soundness in him. 
May the Son of the living God, with all the glory of his 
majesty, curse him. And may heaven and all the pow- 
ers that move therein, rise against him to damn him, 
unless he repent and make full satisfaction. Amen.' , 

This, it must be confessed is bitter cursings, though 
exceedingly vain, and withal very profane. What ideas 
must the pope have of heaven and the powers that move 
therein, that he should venture to invoke them all in this 
tirade of curses against a poor mechanic respecting a 
little alum ! But the purpose for which this specimen of 
popish anathemas was introduced, is to illustrate the per- 
secuting spirit of popery, not only for religion's sake, 
but for filthy lucre's sake. If the pope could follow a 
fugitive laborer with such a torrent of passion and ma- 
lice, what would the laborer have to expect should he 
fall into the hands of this fiendlike pope. And what 
have others to expect who awaken this spirit of ven- 
geance, but all the cruelty of which human nature is 
capable, and all the tortures which human ingenuity and 
malice can invent ? Such has been the uniform state of 
facts, as we shall perceive by recurring to the history of 
the proceedings of popery against its opponents. 

The persecuting spirit of popery was early manifested 
towards those who ventured to differ in sentiment, how- 
ever peaceable and useful in other respects. But the 
first occasion for the general and violent exhibition of 
this spirit, occurred in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, 
when the eyes of many people, particularly in France, 
began to be opened to perceive the idolatry and absurdity 
of the popish worship. They labored for a long time 
under many disadvantages, as the Latin Vulgate transla- 
tion of the bible was the only edition of the scriptures at 
that time in Europe, and very few of the people were 
able to read it. But, through some faint rays of light 
which they obtained, a multitude of persons, called at 
first the poor men of Lyons, arrived at some saving know- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 289 

ledge of the truth, which they maintained at every ha- 
zard and sacrifice. At length Peter Waldo came for- 
ward, as an instrument in the hand of God of making 
known more perfectly the truths of divine revelation. 
He translated, or caused to be translated, the four gospels 
into French, and thus laid the foundation of a permanent 
secession from popery, and sowed the seeds of a future 
reformation. His followers, and those who afterwards 
joined them, were called Waldenses. But no sooner did 
this people begin to refer to the scriptures as their stand- 
ard, than they were impelled to forsake the superstitions 
of popery. This raised against them a storm of perse- 
cution. The intolerant spirit of popery could not brook 
any question concerning its infallibility, and the only 
alternative presented by it was, entire submission, or in- 
stant destruction. The persecutions which the Wal- 
denses experienced, and their triumphant death, as mar- 
tyrs for the truth, renewed the scenes of the second cen- 
tury, when pagan Rome let loose her malice against the 
persecuted followers of Jesus. Concerning Waldo some 
account has already been given. A few particulars con- 
cerning the treatment his followers received from papal 
Rome will be appropriate in this place. In 1181, the 
pope issued a decree against heretics, which begins as 
follows, viz : " To abolish the malignity of diverse here- 
sies which are lately sprung up in most parts of the w r orld, 
it is but fitting that the power committed to the church 
should be awakened, that, by the concurring assistance 
of the imperial strength, both the insolence and mal-pert- 
ness of the heretics, in their false designs may be crushed, 
and the truth of catholic simplicity, shining forth in the 
holy church, may demonstrate her pure, and free from 
the execrableness of their false doctrines. Wherefore 
we, being supported by the presence and power of our most 
dear son, Frederick, the most illustrious emperor of the 
Romans, always increaser of the empire, with the common 
advice and counsel of our brethren, and other partriarchs, 
25 



290 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

archbishops, and many princes, who from different parts 
of the world are met together, do set themselves against 
these heretics, who have got different names from the 
several false doctrines which they profess — by the sanc- 
tion of this present decree, and by our apostolical autho- 
rity, according to the tenor of these presents, we condemn 
all manner of heresy, by what name soever it may be de- 
nominated. More particularly we declare all Catharists, 
Patorines, and those who call themselves the poor of 
Lyons, the Passagines, the Josephites, and the Arnoidists, 
to be under a perpetual anathema. And because some, 
under a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, 
as the apostle saith, assume to themselves the authority 
of preaching ; whereas the same apostle saith, • How 
shall they preach except they be sent V We therefore 
conclude under the same sentence of a perpetual anathe- 
ma, all those, who, either being forbid, or not sent, do 
notwithstanding, presume to preach publicly or privately, 
without any authority derived from the apostolic see, or 
from the bishops of their respective diocesses. As for 
any layman, who shall be found guilty, either publicly or 
privately, of any of the aforesaid crimes, (that is, preach- 
ing or speaking improperly of the sacraments,) unless by 
abjuring his heresy, and making satisfaction, he immedi- 
ately return to the orthodox faith, we decree him to be 
left to the sentence of the secular judge, to receive con- 
dign punishment, according to the quality of the offence." 
This giving over into the hands of the secular power, 
was a devise of popery by which she attempted to con- 
ceal her own thirst for blood, by charging all executions 
on the secular arm. But the truth was, the civil as well 
as the ecclesiastical power was virtually in her hands, 
and the secular magistrate understood well the conse- 
quence of neglecting any such intimation of the papal 
pleasure. 

The king of Arragon so understood this reference to 
secular power, for he followed up this decree of the pope 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 291 

by one of his own, in which he ordains, " that all here- 
tics found in his dominions be condemned and persecuted 
everywhere." And that persons who should receive 
any of them into their houses, or be present at their per- 
nicious sermons, shall be punished, as if they were actu- 
ally guilty of high treason. 

The emperor Frederick also published a similar 
decree, concerning those that might be found in his do- 
minions. " The care of the imperial government," says 
his majesty, "committed to us from heaven, and over 
which we preside, demands the material sword, which 
is given us separately from the priesthood, against the 
enemies of the faith, for the extirpation of heretical pra- 
vity, that we should pursue, with justice and judgment, 
those vipers and perfidious children, who insult the Lord 
and his church, as if they would tear out the bowels of 
their mother. We shall not suffer these wretches to live, 
who infest the world by their seducing doctrines, and 
who, being themselves corrupted, more grievously taint 
the flock of the faithful." In another decree the empe- 
ror accuses them of savage cruelty to themselves. " Since 
besides the loss of their immortal souls, they expose their 
bodies to a cruel death, being prodigal of their lives and 
fearless of destruction, which, by acknowledging the true 
faith, they might escape, and what is horrible to express, 
their survivors are not terrified by their example. 
Against such enemies to God and man, we cannot con- 
tain our indignation, nor refuse to punish them with the 
sword of just vengeance, but shall pursue them with so 
much the greater vigor as they appear to spread wider 
the crimes of their superstition, to the most evident in- 
jury of the Christian faith, and of the church of Rome, 
which is adjudged to be the head of all churches." 

In consequence of these papal and imperial edicts, the 
whole power of popery, both ecclesiastical and secular, 
was rallied against the unoffending people of God, whose 
only ciime was that they read and interpreted the word 



292 HISTORY OF POPERY, 

of God for themselves, and refused to receive all the ab- 
surdity taught by the popish priesthood. The bishops of 
Mentz and Strasburgh denounced vengeance against all 
heretics in their precincts. In the latter city eighty per- 
sons were committed to the flames. The pope des- 
patched preachers throughout all Europe to engage his 
followers in this crusade against heretics. He promised 
paradise, and the remission of all their sins to those who 
should serve forty days in this holy warfare. After 
telling his people that they are not to keep faith with 
them that do not keep faith with God, he says : " We 
exhort you that you would endeavor to destroy the wicked 
heresy of the Albigenses, and do this with more rigor 
than you would use towards the Saracens themselves ; 
persecute them with a strong hand, deprive them of their 
lands and possessions, banish them and put catholics in 
their room." The emissaries of the pope went forth 
preaching for recruits, and their text generally was, 
" Who shall rise up for me against the evil doers ; or 
who will stand up for me against the workers of ini- 
quity ?" And again, " If thou shalt hear say, in any one 
of thy cities, which the Lord thy God hath given thee, to 
dwell there ; saying, let us go and serve other gods which 
ye have not known, thou shalt smite the inhabitants of 
that city with the edge of the sword." By perverting 
these passages of scripture, the pope and the priests made 
the people believe that they were doing God service, 
while they imbrued their hands in the innocent blood of 
their neighbors. The consequence was, that by the fire 
and sword, those weapons of popery, in which her great 
strength lies, the armies employed by a single pope, mur- 
dered above two hundred thousand in the space of a few 
months. This work of extirpation was continued for 
many years, and the strength of Europe was exhausted 
in destroying her best population. For even their ene- 
mies bear testimony, that the Waldenses and Albigenses 
were peaceable, industrious, and moral citizens. Even 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 293 

an inquisitor, who wrote against them, was constrained to 
make the following concession. "These heretics are 
known by their manners and conversation, for they are 
modest and orderly in their behaviour and deportment. 
They avoid all appearance of pride in their dress, they 
neither indulge in finery of attire, nor are they remarka- 
ble for being mean and ragged. They avoid commerce, 
that they may be free from deceit and falsehood. They 
obtain their livelihood by manual industry, as day labo- 
rers or mechanics, and their teachers are weavers or 
tailors. They are not anxious about amassing riches, 
but content themselves with the necessaries of life. They 
are chaste, temperate and sober. They abstain from 
anger. Even when they work they either learn or 
teach. In like manner also their women are very 
modest, avoiding backbiting, foolish jesting, and levity of 
speech, especially abstaining from lies or swearing, not 
so much as making use of the common asseverations, 
' in truth? i for certain? or the like, because they regard 
these as oaths, — contenting themselves with simply 
answering yes or no!" 

The archbishop of Turin, also says of these men, 
" Their heresy excepted, they generally live a purer life 
than other Christians. In their lives and morals they 
are perfect, irreprehensible, and without reproach among 
men, addicting themselves with all their might to the ser- 
vice of God." A Dominican also, speaking of the Wal- 
denses of Bohemia, says, " I say that in morals and life 
they are good, true in words, unanimous in brotherly 
love, but their faith is incorrigible and vile, as I have 
shewn in my treatise." A Franciscan friar, speaking of 
them, explicitly confesses in what respect their faith was 
incorrigible and vile, when he says, " that all the errors 
of the Waldenses consisted in this, that they denied the 
church of Rome to be the holy mother church, and would 
not obey her traditions." In the time of the hottest per- 
secution of the Waldenses, in certain provinces of France, 
25* 



294 HISTORY OF POPERU. 

a certain monk was deputed by a bishop to hold a confe- 
rence with them, that they might be convinced of their 
errors, and the further effusion of blood prevented. But 
the monk returned in confusion, owning, that in his 
whole life he had never known so much of the scriptures, 
as he had learned during those few days, that he had 
been conversing with the heretics." The bishop, how- 
ever sent among them a number of doctors, young men 
who had lately come from the Sorbonne, which at that 
time was the great school of popish subtlety. One of 
these publicly owned that he had understood more of the 
doctrine of salvation from the answers of the children in 
their catechisms, than from all the disputations which he 
had ever before heard. These testimonials are conclusive 
as to the moral character of these victims of popish per- 
secution. And they are the more important to be known, 
because the papists of latter times have endeavored with- 
out ceasing to blacken the characters of these people,, and 
to accuse them of various enormities and immoralities, that 
thereby they might conceal the true cause of their unrelen- 
ting persecution. But the testimony of all credible history 
is on the other side, and' shews their only offence to have 
been, a refusal to submit to the pope. For this crime 
they were hunted like wild beasts, they were driven from 
their homes to suffer with famine and nakedness ; and in 
great numbers they were destroyed by fire and sword. 
The following as one of a thousand examples of equally 
refined cruelty may serve as an illustration, — " About the 
year 1400, a violent outrage was committed upon the 
Waldenses, who inhabited the valley of Pragella in Pied- 
mont, by the popish party resident in the neighborhood. 
The attack, which seems to have been of the most furious 
kind, was made towards the end of the month of Decem- 
ber, when the mountains were covered with snow, and 
thereby rendered difficult of access, so that the inhabitants 
of the valleys were wholly unapprised that any such 
attempt was meditated, and the persecutors were in actual 



HISTORY OF POPERV. 295 

possession of their caves, before they seem to have been 
apprised of any hostile designs against them. In this 
pitiable plight, they had recourse to the only alternative 
which remained of saving their lives. They fled to one 
of the highest mountains of the Alps, with their wives 
and children ; the unhappy mothers carrying the cradle 
in one hand, and in the other leading such of their 
offspring as were able to walk. Their inhuman invaders, 
whose feet were swift to shed blood, pursued them in their 
flight, until night came on, and slew great numbers of 
them before they could reach the mountains. Those who 
escaped however, were reserved to experience a fate not 
more enviable. Overtaken by the shades of night, they 
wandered up and down the mountains, covered with snow, 
destitute of the means of shelter, or of supporting them- 
selves by any of those comforts which Providence has 
destined for that purpose ; benumbed with cold, they fell 
an easy prey to the severity of the climate, and when the 
night had passed away, there were found, in their cradles 
or lying on the snow, fourscore of their infants deprived 
of life, many of the mothers also lying dead by their sides, 
and others just upon the point of expiring." But it may 
be said perhaps, why bring these things which Avere done 
by papists hundreds of years ago, against those of the 
present day? The answer is, because papists now justify 
all that has been done by their predecessors. They must 
do so, if they adhere to the principle of papal infallibility. 
If they would come forward and frankly condemn what 
their predecessors have done that is wrong, no one would 
consider the present generation responsible. But while 
papists, though they have not the power to do so now, 
pertinaciously defend such wholesale murder as has been 
perpetrated by their community, while they say it was all 
right and proper, all according to duty to exterminate 
those who differ from them, they must submit to be held 
responsible for the principle, and to be considered as 
restrained from such proceedings at the present day, only 



296 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

by the stern hand of necessity. Those that will justify 
these murders, would, if they had the opportunity, com- 
mit them. This is a conclusion sanctioned by our 
Saviour when he says, " Woe unto you Scribes and 
Pharisees, hypocrites, because ye build the tombs of 
the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 
and say, if we had been in the days of our fathers, we 
would not have been partakers with them in the blood of 
the prophets, wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, 
that ye are the children of them which kill the prophets. — 
That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon 
the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood 
of Zacharias the son of Barachias whom ye slew between 
the temple and the altar." — Let papists condemn the 
pope and his legions for the innocent blood which they 
have shed, and then they may hope to escape the impu- 
tation. But who ever heard a papist utter the most 
distant intimation that the pope, whose hands are stained, 
and whose garments are crimsoned with the blood of 
martyrs, ever did, or ever can do wrong. 

With this exposition of the propriety of drawing testi- 
mony to the persecuting spirit of popery, from former and 
distant events in view, we proceed in the narration of 
particular facts. 

In the twelfth century some of the true disciples of 
Christ fled to Britain, from the persecutions of Germany. 
But they found no relief. The popish rulers of England 
were actuated by the same spirit with their brethren in 
Germany and France. A council was called by the 
king to meet at Oxford, to try these heretics, whose 
number amounted to no more than about thirty. They 
were condemned by the haughty prelates of popery, they 
were branded on the forehead, publicly whipped out of 
the town where they dwelt, and being turned into the 
fields in the depth of winter, when all were forbidden to 
relieve them, they perished. Even their enemies allow 
that they behaved with great calmness and moderation, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 297 

and when the inhuman sentence was executed upon them, 
they sang, "Blessed are ye when men shall hate you and 
persecute you." At Glasgow, in Scotland, in 1422, James 
Betby was burnt, for denying that the pope was Christ's 
vicar. In 1431, Paul Craw, a Bohemian, apprehended 
in the university of St. Andrews, suffered death there. 
His enemies put a ball of brass into his mouth, that what 
he said for the truth in his last moments, might not be 
heard by the people. Under archbishop Beaton, the first 
who was called to suffer was Mr. Patrick Hamilton, 
abbot of Ferm, a man nobly descended, and not much 
past twenty-three years of age. This young man 
had travelled in Germany, and falling into familiarity 
with Luther, and other reformers, was by them 
instructed in the knowledge of true religion. In 
this he was so well established and so happy, that he 
determined to return to his country and communicate the 
knowledge he had obtained. On his return he spared 
not to expose the corruptions of the Roman church, 
■wherever he came. The popish clergy, offended at this, 
under pretence of a conference, enticed him to the city 
of St. Andrews, and when he came there they appointed 
friar Campbell to keep company with him, and to endea- 
vour to draw him from the opinions he had adopted. 
After staying in the city several days, where he suspected 
no evil, he was one night seized while in bed, and carried 
prisoner to the castle. The next day he was brought 
before the bishop, andaccnsed ofmaintaimngthe doctrines 
substantially of the reformation. Confessing that he held 
some of them as undoubted truth, he was put on trial, 
condemned as a heretic, and delivered over to the secular 
power. The same day, (for the execution was hastened 
lest the king, who was then absent, should return and 
interfere) he was condemned by the secular judge, and in 
the afternoon led to his place of suffering, which was 
appointed to be at the gate of St. Salvator's college. 
Being come to the place he put off his outer garments, 



298 HISTORY cr POPERY. 

and gave them to his servant, saying, " I have no more 
ro leave thee but the ensample of my death, which I pray 
thee keep in mind. For though the same be bitter and 
painful in man's judgment, yet it is the entrance to 
everlasting life, which none can inherit who denieth 
Christ." Then was he tied- to the stake, about it a great 
quantity of coal, wood and other combustible matter was 
heaped, whereof he had no fear, but seriously commend- 
ing his soul into the hands of God, he held his eyes fixed 
towards heaven. The friars all the while were vexing 
him with their cries, bidding him to turn, and pray to 
the virgin Mary. Among them none was more trou- 
blesome than friar Campbell, who kept company with 
him when he first came to the city. Often he besought 
him to depart and not to vex him, but when the friar 
would not cease his crying, the martyr said, " wicked 
man thou knowest that I am not an heretic, and that it is 
the truth of God for which I now suffer, so much thou 
didst confess to me in private, therefore I appeal thee to 
answer before the judgment seat of Christ." By this 
time the fire was kindled, after which with a loud voice 
he was heard to say, " How long O Lord, shall darkness 
oppress this realm ? How long wilt thou suffer this 
tyranny of men," and then he closed with these words, 
;< Lord Jesus receive my spirit." His body was quickly 
consumed, for the fire was vehement, but the patience 
and constancy he shewed in his dying, stirred up such 
compassion in the beholders, as many of them doubted 
not to say that he suffered an innocent, and was indeed a 
martyr of Christ. 

Soon after the above execution, one Henry Forrest was 
apprehended for saying that Mr. Patrick Hamilton died, 
a martyr. He was brought to St. Andrews, but because 
the proof was not clear, a certain friar was appointed to 
confess him. The simple man, thinking no harm, being 
asked by the confessor what was his opinion of Mr. Ha- 
milton, answered that he thought him to be a good man, 



HISTORY OF POPERV. 299 

and that the articles for which he was condemned might 
well be defended. .This confession the friar disclosed, 
and it was taken as evidence, and the poor man was forth- 
with condemned to be burnt as an heretic. As he was 
led out, he complained grievously of the friar who had 
betrayed him, crying out, "Fie on falsehood! Fie on 
false friars, revealers of confession ! Never let any man 
trust them after me. They are despisers of God, and 
deceivers of men." While they were consulting on the 
manner of his execution, one John Lindsay, a plain man, 
who attended the bishop, gave advice to burn him in some 
hollow cellar ; "for the smoke," said he, " of Patrick 
Hamilton, hath infected all those on whom it blew." 

About the year 1543, there was in the university of 
Cambridge one Mr. George Wishart, who was born in 
Scotland ; and after having received a grammatical edu- 
cation at a private school, finished his studies at the Uni- 
versity of Cambridge. He was a modest, temperate 
man, fearing God and hating covetousness. Being de- 
sirous of propagating the true gospel in his own country, 
he left Cambridge in 1544; and in his way to Scotland, 
preached in most of the principal towns to the great sa- 
tisfaction of his hearers. On his arrival in his native 
land, he first preached at Montrose, and afterwards at 
Dundee. In this last place he made an exposition of the 
epistle to the Romans, which he went through with so 
much grace and eloquence, as delighted the reformers 
and alarmed the papists. In consequence of this exposi- 
tion, one Robert Miln, a principal man of Dundee, went 
by command of cardinal Beaton, to the church where 
Wishart preached, and in the midst of his discourse pub- 
licly told him, " not to trouble the town any more, for he 
was determined not to suffer it." This treatment greatly 
surprised the preacher ; and after bearing suitable testi- 
mony to the truth and against such proceedings, he left 
the pulpit and departed. He then went into the west of 
Scotland, where he preached the word of God, and was 



300 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

gladly received by many. But here he was interrupted 
again by order of the popish cardinal. But the preacher 
of Christ went to the market-cross, where he preached 
to the great satisfaction of his hearers, and the confusion 
of his enemies. Cardinal Beaton became so exasperated 
by his popularity, that he was determined to have him 
taken out of his way. This he attempted at first by se- 
cret assassination. Before Wishart left Dundee the se- 
cond time, a desperate popish priest, named John Weigh- 
ton, was engaged to kill him, which was attempted as 
follows : — After sermon, on a certain day, Mr. Wishart 
was about stepping out of the pulpit, when he discovered 
at the bottom of the stairs this priest, with a dagger under 
his cloak, waiting for him to come within his reach. Mr. 
Wishart cautiously approached, and saying, " My friend, 
what would you have ?" he clapped his hand upon the 
dagger suddenly, and took it from the priest. He being 
terrified, fell upon his knees, confessed his object, and 
begged pardon. A noise being raised, the populace 
were ready to tear the assassin in pieces. But Mr. Wis- 
hart defended him, and brought him off. Soon after this, 
on his return to Montrose, the cardinal caused a letter to 
be conveyed to him, purporting to be from an intimate 
friend, who begged him to come to him without delay, as 
he was dangerously sick. Mr. Wishart commenced his 
journey, but suspecting some treachery, he turned back, 
and thus his life was saved, for a number of armed men 
were concealed by the wayside to take his life. When 
the discovery of the ambush was made, Mr. Wishart re- 
marked, " I know I shall end my life by that bloody 
man's hands, but not in this manner." After this, cardi- 
nal Beaton being informed that Mr. Wishart was at the 
house of Mr. Cockburn, of Ormiston, in East Lothian, 
applied to the regent to have him apprehended. The 
earl accordingly went, with proper attendants, to the 
house of Mr. Cockburn, which he beset about midnight. 
The master of the house being alarmed, put himself in a 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 301 

posture of defence, when the earl told him it was in vain 
to resist, as sufficient force was at hand. But if he would 
deliver Mr. Wishart, he would promise upon his honor 
that he should be safe, and that the cardinal should not 
hurt him. Wishart immediately said, " Open the gates, 
God's will be done." Bothwell coming in, Wishart said 
to him, " I praise my God that so honorable a man as 
you, my lord, receive me this night ; for I am persuaded 
that for your honor's sake, you will suffer nothing to be 
done to me but by order of law ; I fear less to die openly, 
than secretly to be murdered." Bothwell replied, " I 
will not only preserve your body from violence that shall 
be intended against you without order of law, but I also 
promise, in the presence of these gentlemen, that neither 
the governor nor cardinal shall have their will of you ; 
but I will keep you in my own house, until I either set 
you free, or restore you to the same place where I receive 
you." This agreement being made, Mr. Wishart was 
delivered into the hands of the earl, who immediately 
conducted him to Edinburgh. As soon as the earl ar- 
rived at that place, he was sent for by the queen, who, 
being an inveterate enemy to Wishart, prevailed on the 
earl, notwithstanding the promises he had made, to com- 
mit him a prisoner to the castle. Cardinal Beaton being 
informed of Wishart's situation, went to Edinburgh, and 
immediately caused him to be removed to the castle of 
St. Andrews. The inveterate and persecuting prelate 
having now got our martyr fully at his disposal, resolved 
to proceed immediately to try him as an heretic. For this 
purpose he assembled the prelates at St. Andrews' church, 
February 27, 1546. At this meeting the archbishop of 
Glasgow gave it as his opinion, that application should 
be made to the regent, to grant a commission to some 
noblemen to try the prisoner, that all odium of putting 
so popular a man to death might not lie on the clergy. 
To this the cardinal readily agreed. But on sending to 
the regent, he received the following answer ; — " That 
26 



302 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

he would do well not to hasten this man's trial, but delay 
it until his coming ; for as to himself, he would not con- 
sent to his death before the cause was well examined ; 
and if the cardinal should do otherwise, he would make 
protestation, that the blood of this man should be required 
at his hands." The cardinal was extremely chagrined 
at this message from the regent ; however, he determined 
to proceed in the bloody work which he had undertaken, 
and therefore sent the regent word that he had not writ- 
ten to him about this matter because he was in any way 
dependant on his authority, but from a desire that the 
prosecution and conviction of heretics might have a show 
of public consent ; which, since he could not this way 
obtain, he would proceed in that way which to him ap- 
peared most proper. In consequence of this, the cardinal 
immediately proceeded to the trial of Wishart, against 
whom no less than eighteen articles were exhibited, which 
were in substance as follows, viz : — " That he had de- 
spised the holy mother church, had deceived the people, 
had ridiculed the mass, had preached against the sacra- 
ments, saying there were not seven but two only, viz. 
baptism, and the supper of the Lord ; that he had preached 
against confession to a priest ; had denied transubstantia- 
tion and extreme unction ; would not admit the authority 
of the pope or of councils ; allowed the eating of flesh 
on Friday ; condemned the prayers to saints ; spoke 
against the vows of monks, saying that whosoever was 
bound by such vows, had vowed themselves to the state 
of damnation, and that it was lawful for priests to mar- 
ry ; and finally, that he had avowed his disbelief of pur- 
gatory." Mr. Wishart answered these several charges 
with great composure of mind, and in so learned and clear 
a manner, as surprised those present. A bigotted priest 
named Lander, at the instigation of the archbishop, not 
only heaped a load of curses upon him, but treated him 
with the most barbarous contempt, calling him renegade, 
false heretic, traitor, and thief; and not satisfied with 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 

that, spit in his face, and otherwise maltreated him. On 
this Mr. Wishart fell on his knees, and after making a 
prayer to God, thus addressed his judges : — "Many and 
horrible sayings unto me, a Christian man, many words 
abominable to hear, have ye spoken here this day ; which 
not only to teach, but even to think, I ever thought a 
great abomination." After the examination was finished, 
the archbishop attempted to prevail on Mr. Wishart to 
recant, but he was too firmly fixed in his religious prin- 
ciples, and too much enlightened in the truth of the gos- 
pel, to be in the least moved. In consequence of this, 
the archbishop pronounced on him the dreadful sentence 
of death, which he ordered should be put into execution 
the next day. As soon as this cruel and melancholy 
ceremony was finished, our martyr fell on his knees, 
and thus exclaimed : — " O immortal God ! how long wilt 
thou suffer the rage and great cruelty of the ungodly to 
exercise their fury upon thy servants, which do further 
thy -word in this world ? Whereas, they en the contrary 
seek to destroy the truth, whereby thou hast revealed thy- 
self to the world. O Lord ! we know certainly that thy 
true servants must needs suffer, for thy name's sake, per- 
secutions, afflictions, and troubles, in this present world ; 
yet we desire that thou wouldst preserve and defend thy 
church, which thou hast chosen before the foundation of 
the world, and give thy people grace to hear thy Avord, 
and to be thy true servants in this present life." Having 
said this he arose, and was immediately conducted by the 
officers to the prison from which he had been brought in 
the castle. In the evening he was visited by two friars, 
who told him he must make his confession to them ; to 
whom he replied, " I will not make any confession to 
you ;" on which they immediately departed. Soon after 
this came the sub-prior, with whom Wishart conversed 
in so feeling a manner on religious subjects, as to make 
him weep. When this man left him, he went to the car- 
dinal, and told him he came not to intercede for the pri- 



304 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

soner's life, but to make known his innocence to all men. 
At these words the cardinal expressed great dissatisfac- 
tion, and forbid the sub-prior from visiting the martyr any 
more. On the morning of his execution, there came to 
him two friars from the cardinal, one of whom put on 
him a black linen coat, and the other brought several 
bags of gunpowder, which they tied about different parts 
of his body. The windows and balconies of the castle 
opposite the place where he was to suffer, were hung 
with tapestry and silk hangings, with cushions for the 
cardinal and his train, who were from thence to feast 
their eyes with the torments of this innocent man. There 
was also a large guard of soldiers, not so much to secure 
the execution, as to show a vain ostentation of power, 
besides which, cannon were placed on different parts of 
the castle. All the preparations being completed, Wis- 
hart, after having his hands tied behind him, was con- 
ducted to the fatal spot. In his way thither he was ac- 
costed by two friars, who desired him lu pray lo tlio vir- 
gin Mary to intercede for him ; to whom he meekly re- 
plied, " Cease ! tempt me not, I entreat you." As soon 
as he arrived at the stake, the executioner put a rope 
around his neck, and a chain about his middle ; upon 
which he fell on his knees, and thus exclaimed : — " O 
thou Saviour of the world, have mercy upon me ! Fa- 
ther of heaven, I commend my spirit into thy holy 
hands." After repeating these words three times, he 
arose, and turning himself to the spectators, addressed 
them as follows : — " Christian brethren and sisters, I be- 
seech you be not offended at the word of God for the tor- 
ments which you see prepared for me ; but I exhort you 
that ye love the word of God for your salvation, and suf- 
fer patiently and with a comfortable heart for the word's 
sake, which is your undoubted salvation and everlasting 
comfort." After this he prayed for his accusers, saying, 
" I beseech thee, Father of heaven, forgive them that, 
from ignorance or an evil mind, forged lies of me. I 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 305 

forgive them with all my heart. I beseech Christ to for- 
give them that have ignorantly condemned me." As 
soon as he had finished his speech, the executioner fell 
on his knees before him, and said, " Sir, I pray you for- 
give me, for I am not the cause of your death." In re- 
turn to this, Mr. Wishart took the man cordially by the 
hand, and kissed him, saying, " Lo ! here is a token that 
I forgive thee my hurt, do thine office." He was then 
fastened to the stake, and the faggots being lighted, imme- 
diately set fire to the powder that was tied about him, and 
which blew into a flame and smoke. The governor of 
the castle, who stood so near that he was singed with the 
flame, exhorted our martyr, in a few words, to be of good 
cheer, and to ask pardon of God for his offences. To 
which he replied, " This flame hath occasioned trouble 
indeed to my body, but it hath in no wise broken my spi- 
rit. But he who now so proudly looks down upon me 
from yonder lofty place, (pointing to the cardinal,) shall 
ere long be as ignominiously thrown down, as he now 
proudly lolls at his ease." When he had said this, the 
executioner pulled the rope which was about his neck 
with great violence, so that he was soon strangled, and 
the fire gaining strength, burnt with such great rapidity, 
that in less than an hour his body was totally consumed. 
Thus died, in confirmation of the gospel of Christ, a sin- 
cere believer, whose fortitude and constancy during his 
sufferings can only be imputed to the support of divine 
grace, in order to fulfil that memorable promise, " As is 
thy day, so shall thy strength be," and whose death is a 
lasting monument of the persecuting spirit of popery." 

The reign of bloody queen Mary is proverbial, and a 
blot on the page of history, while it illustrates the true 
spirit of popery. After destroying those who had sinned 
politically by espousing the cause of Jane Grey ; she 
next turned her hand, by the instigation of her popish 
advisers, against the faithful servants of the Lord. The 
first martyr was the Rev. John Rogers, minister of St. 
26* 



306 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

Sepulchre's church. The crime of Mr. Rogers was thai 
he had assisted in giving a translation of the bible to the 
people. He was a zealous preacher of the truth, and an 
opponent of popery. Consequently he was arraigned, 
condemned and burnt. When on his way to execution 
he was asked by the sheriff "if he would recant his 
opinions"— He replied, " what he had preached he 
would seal with his blood." " Then" said the sheriff, 
" thou art an heretic." To which Mr. Rogers answered, 
"that will be known when we meet at the judgment seat 
of Christ" After the death of John Rogers followed that 
of Hooper, Taylor, Ridley, Latimer, Cranmer, and a 
multitude of others, men of eminent talents and pure lives, 
who fell victims to the bigotry and cruelty of bloody 
Mary and her popish advisers, Gardiner and Bonner. 
The particulars in this dismal history w r ould exceed the 
limits of the present work. Suffice it to say, they are of 
the same kind with those already stated. All the inven- 
tion of man was put in requisition to find out and refine 
cruelties for those who refused to bow to the pope. 

But after all these efforts of cruelty and malice, those 
who dissented from popery continued to increase and 
spread on every side. Some more effectual measures 
therefore became necessary for the extirpation of heretics. 
The device of popery to meet this exigency, was the in- 
quisition, the rise and character of which have been 
already narrated. It remains however to give some ac- 
count of the inquisition as an engine of persecution, for 
in this respect it stands pre-eminent. Persecution was 
the field of its glory, and all its emblems are dyed in 
blood. 

In the year 1714, Mr. Isaac Martin, an English pro- 
testant merchant resident at Malaga, was arrested by or- 
der of the inquisition, on charge of being a Jew. The 
grounds of this charge were, that his own name was 
Isaac, and he had a son named Abraham. This charge 
he answered, by assuring the papists that he was an 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 307 

Englishman. Moreover, he told them that Abraham 
and Isaac were not Jews, but patriarchs who lived long 
before the term Jew was ever used. But the inquisitors 
would believe neither one nor the other plea. Percei- 
ving himself beset, he came to the resolution to leave the 
place with his family. This became known, and one 
night about 9 o'clock, he heard a loud knocking at his 
door. He inquired who was there, when entrance was 
demanded, which he refused, desiring the persons with- 
out, to come next day. But the doors were immediately 
broken open, and about fifteen persons entered attended 
by a commissioner of the holy office. Mr. Martin spoke 
of going to the English consul, but they told him the 
consul had nothing to do with the business. He was 
now arrested on the charge of being an heretic. His 
books and papers were seized, his watch, money and 
other things taken from him, and he carried to the bish- 
op's prison, and a pair of heavy fetters put on him. His 
family, in the deepest distress, was turned out of doors, 
until the house was stripped. About four days after his 
confinement he was told he must go to Grenada to be 
tried. He earnestly begged to see his wife and children 
before he went, but this was denied. Being doubly fet- 
tered he was mounted on a mule and sent forward to 
Grenada. By the way the mule threw him upon a rocky 
part of the road and nearly broke his back. On his ar- 
rival at Grenada, after a journey of three days, he was 
detained at an inn till it was dark, for they never bring 
any one into the inquisition during day-light. At night 
he was taken to the prison, and led along a range of gal- 
leries till he arrived at a dungeon. The gaoler nailed 
up his books, which had been brought from Malaga, say- 
ing they must remain in that state till the lords of the in- 
quisition chose to inspect them, for prisoners are never 
allowed to read books. He then said to Mr. Martin, "you 
must observe as great silence here as though you were 
dead ; you must not speak, nor whistle, nor sing, nor 



308 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

make any noise that can be heard. And if you hear 
any body cry or make a noise, you must be still and say 
nothing upon pain of 200 lashes." Mr. Martin asked 
: ' if he might walk about the room ;" the reply was, " he 
might, but it must be very softly." In about a week he 
was brought to audience. He followed the gaoler, and 
coming to a large room, saw a man sitting between 
two crucifixes, and another with a pen in his hand, who 
he afterwards learned was the secretary. The chief lord 
inquisitor was the man between the crucifixes, and ap- 
peared to be about sixty years of age. He ordered Mr. 
Martin to sit down upon a little stool that fronted him. 
A frivolous examination then took place. The questions 
related to his family, their religion, and to his own faith. 
He admitted that he was a protestant, told the inquisitor 
that the religion of Christ admitted of no persecution, and 
concluded by saying he hoped to remain in that religion. 
He underwent five examinations without any thing se- 
rious being alleged against him. In a few days he was 
called to his sixth audience, When after a few unimpor- 
tant questions, the chief inquisitor told him the charges 
against him should be read, and he must give an imme- 
diate answer to each respective charge. The accusations 
against him were read, and were twenty-six in number, 
though principally of the most trivial nature, and the 
greater part wholly false, or if they had any reference 
to facts, they were so distorted and perverted as to bear 
little or no resemblance. Mr. Martin replied to each of 
them firmly and discreetly, exposing their weakness and 
detecting their falsehood. At length two of the lords of 
the inquisition visited him and asked many trifling ques- 
tions, concluding with their usual declaration, " We will 
do you all the service we can." Mr. Martin complained 
of their breach of promise in not allowing him counsel to 
plead his cause, or such counsel as was of no use to him. 
To which one of the inquisitors gravely answered, " Law- 
yers are not allowed to speak here." About a month 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 309 

afterwards he had a rope put round his neck, and was 
led by it to the altar of the great church. Here his sen- 
tence was pronounced, which was that for the crimes he 
stood convicted, the lords of the holy office had ordered him 
to be banished out of the dominions of Spain, upon penalty 
of 200 lashes, and being sent five years to the gallies. And 
that he should at present receive 200 lashes through 
the streets of the city of Grenada. Mr. Martin was 
sent again to his dungeon that night. The next morning 
the executioner came, stripped him, tied his hands to- 
gether, put a rope about his neck and led him. out of the 
prison". He was then mounted on an ass, and received 
his two hundred lashes amidst the shoutings and peltings 
of the people. He remained a fortnight after in prison, 
and was then sent to Malaga. Here he was put in gaol 
for some days, until he could be put on board an English 
ship. His wife and children then came to him, and they 
escaped barely with their lives, all his effects being seized 
by the inquisition. All this, be it remembered was in- 
flicted for the sole charge of being an heretic, in other 
words of differing from them in his belief. For all their 
twenty-six accusations amounted to this only. It is sup- 
posed however, that Mr. Martin was guilty of the heresy 
of being rich, and that his money was the principal ob- 
ject of these proceedings. The most lawless banditti 
would not have treated a fellow creature more barba- 
rously. 

In the year 1559, there was an Auto da Fe, at Valla - 
dolid in Spain, when twenty-one victims were roasted 
alive, by order of the inquisition. Among them was a 
young lady named Donna Maria de Borhoques. She 
was daughter of Pedro Garcia Borhoques, and had just 
completed her twenty-first year, when she was arrested 
on suspicion of Lutheranism. Her education was very 
superior, being perfectly acquainted with the Latin, and 
having made considerable proficiency in Greek. She 
knew the gospels by heart, and was thoroughly read in 



310 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

Lutheran commentaries. This lady was confined in the 
secret prison of the inquisition, where she avowed the doc- 
trines imputed to her, defended them against the argu- 
ments of the priests who visited her, and boldly told the 
inquisitors, that instead of punishing her for her creed, 
they would do well to adopt it. In regard to the deposi- 
tions of her accusers, though she allowed some points, 
she persisted in denying others which related to the be- 
lief of other persons: This denial gave the inquisitors an 
opportunity which they desired of putting her to the 
rack. By the torture of the rack they only extorted from 
her the fact that her sister, Joanna Borhoques knew of 
her sentiments, and had not disapproved of them, and 
as she persisted in her profession of faith, sentence was 
passed upon her as an obstinate heretic. In the interval 
between her condemnation and the Auto da Fe, at which 
she was to suffer, the inquisitors made every exertion to 
bring her back to the popish faith. They sent to her 
successively two Jesuits and two Dominican priests, who 
labored with great zeal to shake her faith ; but they re- 
turned without having effected their object, full of admi- 
ration at the talents she displayed, and regretting the ob- 
stinacy with which she persisted in what they called 
damnable heresy. The evening before the Auto da Fe, 
two Dominicans joined in the attempt, and were followed 
by several theologians of other orders. Donna Maria 
received them with civility, but dissuaded them from 
attempting a hopeless task. To the professions which 
they made of being concerned for the welfare of her 
soul, she answered that she believed them sincere, but 
that they must not suppose that she, being the person 
chiefly interested, felt a less concern than they. She told 
them she came to the prison fully satisfied of the ortho- 
doxy of the creed which she held, and that she had been 
confirmed in her belief by the evident futility of the argu- 
ments used against it. At the stake, a certain man named 
Ponce de Leon, who had just abjured the Lutheran faith, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 311 

exhorted her to follow his example. The weakness of 
this apostate for a moment put her off her guard, and 
she answered him with contempt rather than with pity. 
But recollecting herself, she told him coolly that the time 
for controversy was past, and that their wisest plan was 
to occupy the few moments which remained to them in 
meditating on the death of their Redeemer, in order to 
confirm that faith by which alone they could be justified. 
The rule of the inquisition is, that if a condemned here- 
tic renounce his heresy at the stake, he was not burnt 
alive, but first strangled, and then burned. This was 
all poor Ponce de Leon gained by his apostacy. On 
this occasion the attendant priests, moved by the youth 
and talents of Maria, offered her this milder death if she 
would merely repeat the creed. With this offer she readily 
complied, and having finished it, she immediately com- 
menced an explanation of its articles according to the 
sense of the reformers. This confession of faith was at 
once interrupted. Donna Maria was strangled by the 
executioner, and her body was afterwards consumed to 
ashes. 

It has been mentioned that the only confession extorted 
from Donna Maria by the rack was, that her sister knew 
her religious sentiments, and had not disapproved of 
them. This sister, whose name was Joanna, was mar- 
ried to Don Francis de Vargas, lord of Heguera. She 
was immediately arrested on the confession of her sister, 
and though six months advanced in pregnancy, was con- 
fined in one of the common dungeons of the inquisition. 
In this dungeon she was delivered of a child, with no 
assistance but that of a young woman confined in the 
same cell, on charge of Lutheranism. Eight days after 
its birth, the child was taken from her, and soon after 
her friendly nurse, having been tortured, returned to the 
prison with dislocated limbs ; and Donna Joanna, though 
still feeble, was called upon to repay the charitable atten- 
tions she had received. Before her health was established, 



312 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

she also was subjected to the torture of the rack. Her 
enfeebled frame sunk under its sufferings, a blood vessel 
burst while she was on the rack, and in two days, she 
was delivered by death from further persecutions. After 
perpetrating this foul murder, the inquisitors thought it 
» a sufficient reparation to declare Donna Joanna innocent 
at the next Auto da Fe. This was a practice with the 
inquisitors, after they had tortured and murdered innocent 
persons, on mere suspicion, or for their own diversion ; 
their acquittal was to pronounce them innocent after they 
were dead, or injured beyond recovery. In fact, there- 
fore, no distinction, as to the persons or interests of the 
accused was made between the innocent and guilty. 
They must all alike suffer. Cases of the same nature 
with those above stated might be multiplied to almost 
any extent. But the limits of this work admit only of 
examples. The secrecy with which the orders of the 
holy office were executed is very remarkable. No grand 
Turk or eastern Nabob, ever had his servants trained to 
more exact precision and secrecy of movement, than 
were the servants of the holy office. A father and three 
sons, and three daughters, were once apprehended and 
carried to the prison of the inquisition, and though they 
lived in the same house, they knew nothing of each 
other's imprisonment, until seven years after, when those 
of their number that were still alive, were brought out 
to Auto da Fe. Persons nearly allied to each other, may 
be confined in contiguous cells, without any knowledge 
of the fact. For the merciless turnkeys are constantly 
on the watch to prevent the utterance of any sound, lest 
it should reveal some secret. If a person bemoans, or 
prays, or sings, in an audible voice, he is instantly 
silenced. No man is allowed even to cough in the damp 
cells of the inquisition, lest he should be discovered. A 
prisoner in the cells of the inquisition once coughed. 
The gaolers came and admonished him to desist. He 
told them he could not refrain. And because he did not 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 313 

refrain, they stripped him and beat him cruelly, This 
however only increased his cough. For which they 
actually beat him till he died. 

The prisons of the inquisition are emptied at regu- 
lar intervals, by the recurrence of what they call, an 
l< Auto da Fe." The literal meaning of this phrase is, 
an act of faith. But the real import of it is, a general 
burning at the stake of the condemned criminals found 
in the dungeons of the inquisition. In other words, it is 
the season of execution, when a great procession is form- 
ed, and a great concourse of people assembled, and the 
prisoners are taken from their dungeons, where they have 
lain in suffering, and after having been subjected to all 
manner of cruelties on the rack, and marched into the 
field prepared for the purpose, where scores are burned 
alive at the stake. And this generally for no other 
crime, than a difference of belief respecting the doc- 
trines and duties of religion. The inquisition, it will be 
recollected, was established for the purpose of extirpa- 
ting heretics, consequently almost all its proceedings, and 
executions are persecution, or the torturing and destroy- 
ing people for their conscientious belief. This is the 
proper and ostensible business of the holy office. But 
persecution, in the proper sense of the term, is not the 
only employment of the inquisitors. Their unrestrain- 
ed power in searching out heretics, gives them opportu- 
nity to indulge in the most flagitious practices, and 
friends as well as foes are often rendered subservient to 
the gratification of their licentious passions. " The 
grand Turk," says McGavin, "has not a more splendid 
seraglio within the walls of his palace, than these holy 
fathers have been know to have kept within the walls of 
the inquisition ; and these very fathers would without 
scruple have sent any man of their own order to the 
flames, if he had presumed to commit the heresy of mar- 
rying and living honestly with one woman." This, 
though not strictly persecution for truth's sake, yet, is 
27 



314 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

such a monstrous abuse of power, and so illustrates the 
savage character of popery, that one example on this 
point will not be deemed inadmissible. It is taken from 
McGavin's Protestant, vol. ii. p. 146. 

" About the beginning of the last century, there hap- 
pened to be a sort of civil war in Spain, in which the 
troops of the king of France were actively engaged on 
one side. In their victorious career, they came into 
possession of the city of Saragossa, in Arragon, in which 
Avere a number of convents, particularly one of Domini- 
cans. The French commander, M. Lega], found it ne- 
cessary to levy a pretty heavy contribution upon the in- 
habitants, not excepting the convents. The Dominicans, 
all whose friars were familiars of the holy inquisition, 
excused themselves in a civil manner, saying that they 
had no money, and if M. de Legal should insist on the 
demand of a thousand pistoles, which fell to their share, 
they could not pay him in any other way than by send- 
ing him the silver bodies of the saints. The friars ima- 
gined that the French commander would not have the 
heart to demand such a sacrifice ; and they thought, that 
if he should insist upon it, they would, by raising the cry 
of heresy against him, raise the mass of the people to 
take their part. The Frenchman, however, felt no qualms 
of conscience about the matter. He signified that the 
silver saints would be very welcome visitors. The friars, 
seeing they could not mend the matter, carried their 
gods to the governor in solemn procession, and with 
lighted candles. The governor, having heard that it 
was their intention to make a procession, and raise a mob 
if they could, ordered out four companies of grenadiers, 
well armed, to receive the saints in the most respectfu I 
manner, so that the design of raising the people entirely 
failed. The saints were forthwith sent to the mint, and 
the holy fathers applied to the inquisition, to interpose 
its supreme power in order to save them from the fur- 
nace. This power was readily exercised in the way of 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 315 

excommunicating M. Legal. An instrument to this 
effect having been drawn up and signed, the secretary of 
the holy office was commanded to go and read it to the 
governor. Having performed his duty, the excommuni- 
cated governor, instead of expressing displeasure, with a 
mild countenance took the paper from the secretary 
and said, " pray tell your masters the inquisitors, that I 
will answer them to-morrow morning." The governor 
then ordered his secretary to draw a copy of the excom- 
munication with the simple alteration of inserting the 
names of the holy inquisitors instead of his own name ; 
and the next morning he ordered four regiments to be 
sent along with his secretary to the inquisition, with 
command to read the excommunication to the inquisitors 
themselves, and if they made the least noise, to turn them 
out, open all the prisons, and quarter two regiments there. 
The orders were obeyed, and the holy fathers were 
amazed deeply, and confounded, to find themselves 
excommunicated by a man who had no authority for it ; 
and they began a hue and cry against the governor as a 
heretic, and as having publicly insulted the Catholic 
faith. — "Holy inquisitors," said the secretary, "the 
king wants this house to quarter his troops in, so walk 
out immediately." And having no alternative they were 
compelled to obey. The doors of the prisons were 
thrown open, and then the wickedness of the inquisitors 
was exposed to the world. Four hundred prisoners got 
liberty that day, and among them sixty well dressed 
young women, who were found to be the private property 
of the three inquisitors, and of which they had robbed 
the families of the city and neighborhood. The Arch- 
bishop, seriously concerned for the honor of the holy 
tribunal, desired M. Legal to send these women to his pa- 
lace, promising that he would take care of them and in the 
mean time he published an ecclesiastical censure against 
all who should defame by groundless reports, the holy 
office of the inquisition ; that is, all that should mention 



316 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

the fact thus brought to light. The governor professed 
his willingness to comply with his grace's request, but 
as to the young women, that was not in his power, they 
being rescued and taken away by the French officers. 
In fact they were chiefly young ladies, beautiful and 
accomplished, who had been forcibly carried away at the 
pleasure of the holy fathers, from the most opulent fami- 
lies in the city : and who probably would never have 
been seen without the walls of the sacred building, but 
for such a deliverance as that which was effected by the 
French soldiers. Some of them were afterwards married 
to their deliverers, one of whom furnished Mr. Gavin, 
from whom I abridge this statement, with a narrative of 
her own case, which I am sure will be interesting to my 
readers. I shall give the substance of it, without adhe- 
ring strictly to the author's phraseology. Mr. Gavin 
had been a popish priest. 

Travelling in France sometime after the event above 
referred to, and after he had renounced his situation as 
popish priest, he met one of the ladies at Rochfort, at an 
ion where he happened to lodge. She was then the wife 
of the innkeeper's son, who had been a lieutenant in the 
French service in Spain. Though she did not know 
Mr. Gavin in his secular habit, yet he recognized her as 
the daughter of counsellor Belabriga, in Saragossa, with 
whose family he had been acquainted. Her father, it 
seems, had died of grief after having lost her, without the 
comfort of revealing the cause of his trouble even to his 
confessor, so great was his dread of the inquisition. 
From this lady Mr. Gavin obtained a full account of the 
manner of her abduction, and of the treatment which she 
received in the holy office. 

" I went one day," said she, ''with my mother to visit 
the countess of Attarass, and I met there Don Francisco 
Torrejon, her confessor and second inquisitor. After we 
had drank chocolate, he asked me my age, my confessor's 
name, and so many intricate questions about religion that 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 317 

I could not answer him. His serious countenance 
frightened me ; and perceiving my fear, he desired the 
countess to tell me that he was not so severe as I suppo- 
sed, after which he caressed me very kindly. He gave 
me his hand which I kissed with great respect and 
modesty, and when he went away he told me, " my dear 
child I shall remember you till the next time." I did 
not know what he meant being quite inexperienced, and 
only fifteen years old. Indeed he did remember me, for 
that very night, when in bed, hearing a hard knocking 
at the door, the maid who lay in the room with me went 
to the window and asking w T ho was there, I heard the 
reply, ' the holy inquisition.' I could not forbear crying 
out, father, I am ruined forever. My dear father got 
up, and inquiring what the matter was, I answered him 
with tears, ' the inquisition.' He, for fear the maid would 
not open the door so quickly as such a case required, 
went himself to open the door, and like another Abraham, 
to offer his child to the fire ; and as I did not cease to 
cry out, my dear father, all in tears, stopped my mouth 
to shew his obedience to the holy office ; for he supposed 
I had committed some crime against religion. The 
officers gave me time only to put on a petticoat and a 
mantle, they took me into the coach, and without allow- 
ing me the satisfaction of embracing my father and 
mother, they carried me into the inquisition. 

" I expected to die that night ; but when they carried me 
into a noble room well furnished, I was quite surprised. 
The officers left me there, and immediately a maid came 
in with a salver of sweetmeats and cinnamon water, de- 
siring me to take some refreshment before I went to bed. 
I told her I could not, but that I should be obliged to her 
if she could tell me whether I was to die that night or 
not. ' Die !' said she, 'you do not come here to die, but 
to live like a princess, and you shall want for nothing but 
the liberty of going out ; so, be not afraid, but go to bed 
and sleep easy, for to-morrow you shall see wonders in 
27* 



318 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

this house ; and as I am chosen to be your waiting-maia\ 
I hope you will be kind to me.' I was going to ask some 
questions, but she told me she had not leave to tell me 
any thing more till the next day, ' only nobody shall come 
to disturb you;' so she left me for a quarter of an hour. 
The great amazement I was in took away the exercise of 
my senses to such a degree, that I could neither think of 
my parents nor of my own dangerous situation. In this 
suspension of thought, the maid returned, and locked the 
chamber door after her. ' Madam,' said she, ' let us go 
to bed, and be pleased to tell me at what time in the 
morning you will have the chocolate ready.' I asked 
her name, and she told me it was Mary. < Mary,' said 
I, 'for God's sake tell me whether I come to die or not.' 
' I have told you,' said she, ' that you come to be one of 
the happiest ladies in the world.' I went to bed, but the 
fear of death prevented my shutting my eyes, so that I 
arose at the break of day. Mary lay till six o'clock, and 
was surprised to find me up. She said but little, but in 
half an hour she brought me, on a silver plate, two cups 
of chocolate, and biscuits. I drank one cup, and desired 
her to drink the other, which she did. ' Well, Mary,' 
said I, ' can you give me any account of the reasons of 
my being here V ' Not yet, madam,' said she ; ' have a 
little patience.' With this answer she left me, and an 
hour after came again, with a fine Holland shift, a Hol- 
land under petticoat, finely laced round, two silk petti- 
coats, and a little Spanish waistcoat, fringed all over with 
gold, and combs and ribbons, and every thing suitable to 
a lady of higher quality than I ; but my greatest surprise 
was to see a gold snuff-box, with the picture of Don 
Francisco Torrejon in it. Then I understood the mean- 
ing of my confinement* I considered with myself that 
to refuse the present would be the occasion of my imme- 
diate death, and that to accept it was to give him too great 
encouragement against my honor. But I found, as I 
thought, a medium in the case. So I said to Mary, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 319 

* Pray give my service to Don Francisco Torrejon, and 
tell him, that as I could not bring my clothes with me 
last night, honesty permits me to receive what is neces- 
sary to keep me decent ; but since I do not take snuf£ I 
beg his lordship to excuse me if I do not accept this box. 
Mary went to him with this answer, and came again with 
a picture nicely set in gold, with four diamonds at the 
four corners of it, and told me that his lordship had mis- 
taken, and that he desired me to accept that picture. 
While I was musing what to do, Mary said, ' Pray, 
madam, take my poor advice, accept the picture and every 
thing he sends you ; for consider, if you do not comply 
with every thing he has a mind for, you will soon be put 
to death, and nobody can defend you ; but if you are 
obliging to him, he is a very complaisant gentleman, and 
will be a charming lover, and you will live here like a 
queen. He will give you another apartment with fine 
gardens, and many young ladies will come to visit you ; 
so I advise you to send a civil answer, and desire a visit 
from him, or you will soon repent it.' ' O dear !' cried 
I, ' must I, then, abandon my honor without remedy ? 
And if I oppose his desire, he will by force obtain it.' 
So, full of confusion, I bid Mary give him what answer 
she pleased. She was very glad of my humble submis- 
sion, and went to give Don Francisco an account of it. 
In a few minutes she returned with great joy to tell me 
that his lordship would honor me with his company to 
supper. In the mean time he desired me to mind no- 
thing but how to divert myself, and to give Mary my mea- 
sure for some new clothes, and order her to bring me 
every thing I wished for. Mary added, ■ Madam, I may 
now call you my mistress, and must now tell you that I 
have been in this holy office these fourteen years, and 
know the customs of it well ; but as silence is imposed 
on me under pain of death, I cannot tell you anything 
but what concerns your person ; so, in the first place, do 
not oppose the holy father's will ; secondly, if you see 



320 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

some young ladies here, never ask them any questions, 
neither will they ask you, and take care you never tell 
them anything. You may come and divert yourself 
among them at such hours as are appointed. You shall 
have music and all sorts of recreations. Three days 
hence you shall dine with them ; they are all ladies of 
quality, young and merry. You will live so happily 
here, that you will not wish to go abroad ; and when 
your time is expired, the holy fathers will send you out 
of this country, and marry you to some nobleman. Ne- 
ver mention your name, nor Don Francisco's, to any. If 
you see here some young ladies you have formerly been 
acquainted with, no notice must be taken, and nothing 
must be talked of but indifferent matters.' All this made 
me astonished, or rather stupified, and the whole seemed 
to me a piece of enchantment. With this lesson she left 
me. saying she was going to order my dinner. Every 
time she went out, she locked the door. There were but 
two windows in my room, and they were so high that I 
could see nothing through them ; but hunting about, I 
found a closet, with all sorts of historical and profane 
books ; so I spent my time till dinner in reading, which 
was some satisfaction to me. In about two hours she 
brought dinner, at which was every thing that could sa- 
tisfy the most nice appetite. When dinner was over she 
left me alone, and told me if I wanted anything, to ring 
the bell ; so I went to the closet again, and spent three 
hours in reading. I think I was really under some en- 
chantment, for I was in perfect suspension of thought, so 
as to remember neither father nor mother. Mary came 
and told me Don Francisco was come home, and she 
thought he would come and see me very soon, and beg- 
ged me to receive him with all manner of kindness. 

11 At seven in the evening Don Francisco came, in his 
nightgown and cap ; not with the gravity of an inquisi- 
tor, but with the gayety of an officer. He saluted me 
with great respect, and told me that his coming to see me 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 321 

was only to show the value he had for my family, and to 
tell me that some of my lovers had procured my ruin, 
having accused me in matters of religion ; that the in- 
formations were taken, and the sentence pronounced 
against me, to be burnt alive in a dry pan with a slow 
fire ; but that he, out of pity and love to my family, had 
stopped the execution of it. Every word was a mortal 
stroke to my heart. I threw myself at his feet and said, 
' Ah ! Seignior, have you stopped the execution forever V 
■ It only belongs to you to stop it, or not,' said he, and 
with this bade me good night. As soon as he went out 

I fell a crying, but Mary came and asked me what made 
me cry so bitterly ? ' Ah ! good Mary,' said I, ' tell me 
what is the meaning of the dry pan with the gradual fire, 
for I expect to die by it.' ' O ! madam,' said she, ' never 
fear. You shall, ere long, see the dry pan and the 
gradual fire ; but they are made for those who oppose the 
holy father's will, not for you who are so obliging as to 
obey it. But pray, was not Don Francisco very obliging!' 

I I do not know,' said I, ' for his discourse has put me out 
of my wits. He saluted me with great civility, but he 
left me abruptly.' 'Well,' said Mary, 'you do not yet 
know his temper ; he is extremely kind to people that are 
obedient to him ; but if they are not, he is as unmerciful 
as Nero ; so, for your own sake, take care to oblige him 
in all respects.' She bade me be easy, and go to supper ; 
but the thoughts of the dry pan so troubled me, that I 
could neither eat nor sleep any that night. Early in the 
morning Mary got up, and told me that nobody was yet 
stirring in the house ; and that if I would promise se- 
erecy, she would show me the dry pan and the gradual 
fire. So, taking me down stairs, she brought me into a 
large room with a thick iron door, and within it was an 
oven burning, with a large brass pan upon it, with a 
cover of the same with a lock to it. In the next room 
was a great wheel, covered on both sides with thick 
boards, and, opening a little window in the centre of it, 



322 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

she desired me to look with a candle on the inside of it. 
There I saw that all the circumference of the wheel was 
set with sharp razors. After that, she showed me a pit 
full of serpents and toads. ' Now, my good mistress,' 
said she, ' I will tell you the use of these three things. 
The dry pan is for heretics, and those who oppose the 
holy father's will and pleasure. They are put naked 
alive into the pan, and the cover of it being locked up, 
the executioner begins to put a small fire in the oven, and 
by degrees he increases it till the body is reduced to 
ashes. The second is designed for those that speak 
against the pope and the holy fathers, for they are put 
within the wheel, and the little door being locked, the 
executioner turns the wheel till the person is dead. And 
the third is for those who contemn the images, and refuse 
to give due respect and veneration to ecclesiastical per- 
sons ; for they are thrown into the pit, and become the 
food of serpents and toads. Then Mary said to me that 
another day she would show me the torments for public 
sinners ; but I was in so great agony at what I had seen, 
that I desired her to show me no more places ; so we 
went to my room, and she again charged me to be very 
obedient to all the commands of Don Francisco, for I 
might be assured if I was not, that I must undergo the 
torments of the dry pan. I conceived such a horror of 
the gradual fire, that I was not mistress of my senses, so 
I promised Mary to follow her advice. ' If you are in 
that disposition, 3 said she, ' leave of? all fear, and expect 
nothing but pleasure and satisfaction.' 

" About ten o'clock, (in the morning,) Mary came and 
dressed me. We left Don Francisco in bed, and she 
carried me into another chamber, very delightful and 
better furnished than the first, for the windows were 
lower and I had the pleasure of seeing the river and 
gardens. Mary then told me that the young ladies 
would come and pay me their respects, before dinner, and 
would take me to dine with them, and begged me to re- 



HISTORY OF POFERY. 323 

member her advice. She had scarcely finished, when I 
saw a troop of young beautiful ladies, finely dressed, who 
came one after another to embrace me, and to wish me 
joy. My surprise was so great that I was unable to an- 
swer their compliments. But one of them seeing me 
silent, said, * Madam the solitude of this place will affect 
you in the beginning, but when you feel the pleasures 
we enjoy, you will quit your pensive thoughts. Now 
we beg of you the honor, to come and dine with us to-day, 
and henceforth three days in a week.' I returned them 
thanks, so we went to dinner. That day we had all sorts 
of exquisite meats, delicate fruits, and sweetmeats. The 
room was long, with two tables on each side, and another 
at the front of it, and I reckoned in it that day fifty -two 
young ladies, the eldest not exceeding twenty-four years. 
After dinner, we went up to a long gallery, where some 
of us played on instruments of music, others at cards, and 
some walked about three or four hours together. At 
last Mary came up ringing a small bell, which was, as 
I was told, the signal for us to go to our own rooms. But 
Mary said to the whole company, * ladies to day is a day of 
recreation, so you may go into what rooms you please 
till eight o'clock.' They all desired to go into my apart- 
ment with me. We found in my antechamber, a table 
with all sorts of sweetmeats upon it ; iced cinnamon, al- 
mond milk, and the like. Every one ate and drank, but 
nobody spake a word about the sumptuousness of the 
table, or the inquisition, or the holy fathers. They re- 
tired to their respective apartments at eight o'clock, when 
Mary came to conduct me to Don Francisco, with whom 
I was to sup and spend the night. In the morning 
when I returned to my own chamber, I found ready two 
suits of clothes of rich brocade, and everything else suita- 
ble to a lady of the first rank. I put on one, and when I 
was quite dressed, the ladies came to wish me joy, all 
dressed in different clothes much richer than before. 
We spent the second and the third day in the same sort of 



324 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

Tecreation ; Don Francisco continuing in the same man- 
ner with me. But on the fourth morning after drinking 
chocolate, which it was the custom to do in bed, Mary- 
told me that a lady was waiting for me in her own room, 
and with an air of authority desired me to get up. I 
thought this was to give me some new comfort, but in 
this I was much mistaken ; for Mary conveyed me into 
a lady's room not eight feet long, which was a perfect 
prison, and told me this was my room, and this young 
lady my bed-fellow and companion, and without saying 
any thing more she left me there. ' What is this, dear 
lady,' said I, ' is it an enchanted place, or hell upon earth. 
I have lost father and mother, and what is worse, I have 
lost my honor and my soul for ever.' My new com- 
panion, seeing my agitation, took me by the hands and 
said, • dear sister forbear to cry and grieve ; for such ex- 
travagant behaviour will only draw upon you a cruel 
death. Your misfortunes and ours are exactly of a piece. 
You suffer nothing that we have not suffered before you. 
but we dare not show our grief for fear of greater evils.' 
She advised me to show no uneasiness before Mary, who 
was the only instrument of their torments or comfort. I 
was in a most desperate condition, but my new sister 
Leonora prevailed so much upon me that I overcame my 
vexation, before Mary came in to bring our dinner, 
which was very different from what we had had for three 
days before. After dinner another maid came to take 
away the plate and knife, for we had but one between us 
both, and after she had gone out and locked the door. 
Leonora told me that we should not be disturbed again 
till eight o'clock ; and that if I would promise to keep 
secret what she should tell me while I remained in that 
house, she would reveal all that she knew. I promised 
all that she desired, upon which she began as follows : — 
" My dear sister you think your case is very hard,'but 
I assure you all the ladies in this house have gone 
through the same ; in time you will know all their stories, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 



32& 



as they hope to know yours. I suppose Mary has been 
the chief instrument of your fright, as she has been of 
ours, and I warrant she has shown you some horrible 
places, though not all, and at the mere thought of them 
you were so much troubled in your mind that you have 
chosen the same way we have to redeem yourself from 
death. By what has happened to us we know that Don 
Francisco has been your Nero, for the three colors of our 
clothes are the distinguishing tokens of the three holy 
fathers. The red silk belongs to Don Francisco, the 
blue to Guerrero, and the green to Aliaga. We are 
strictly commanded to make all demonstrations of joy, 
and to be very merry for three days, when a lady first 
comes here, as we did with you, and as you must do 
with others ; but afterwards we live like prisoners, with- 
out seeing a single soul, but the six maids, and Mary, 
who is the housekeeper. We dine all of us in the hall 
three days in a week. When any of the holy fathers has 
a mind for any one of his slaves, Mary comes at nine 
o'clock and conducts her to his apartment. Some nights 
Mary leaves the door of our rooms open, and that is a 
sign that one of the fathers has a mind to visit us, but 
we do not know whether it is our patron or not. We 
have at present fifty-two young ladies, and we lose every 
year six or eight, but where they are sent we do not 
know. We always get new ones in their places, and I 
have seen here seventy-three ladies at once. Our conti- 
nued torment is to think that when the holy fathers are 
tired of us, they will put us to death, for they never will 
run the hazard of being discovered in their villany. So, 
though we cannot oppose their commands, yet we conti- 
nually pray to God to pardon those ills, which we are 
forced to commit, and to deliver us out of their hands. 
So my dear sister arm yourself with patience, for there 
is no other remedy." 

By this discourse of Leonora the young captive was 
prevailed on to make the best of her condition. She found 
28 



326 



HISTORY OF POPERY, 



every thing to be as had been told her. She continued 
in durance eighteen months, in which time the company 
lost eleven ladies, and gained nineteen new ones. When 
the French soldiers threw open the doors of their prison, 
"M. Faulcant," says she, " happily for me, opened the door 
of my room, and from the moment he saw me shewed 
me great civility. He took Leonora and me to his own 
lodgings, and hearing our stories, for fear things would 
turn to our disadvantage, he dressed us in men's clothes, 
and sent us to his father's. So we came to this house, 
where I was kept two years as the old man's daughter, 
till M. Faulcant's regiment being broken up, he came 
home, and two months after married me. Leonora was 
married to another officer and went to live at Orleans." 
" From the above it appears," says Mr. Gavin, " that 
about once a month upon an average, a family in Sara- 
gossa was robbed of a daughter to recruit the seraglio of 
the holy fathers of the inquisition. This narrative does 
not refer to the dark ages of popery, the thing took place 
but about a hundred years ago, and who can tell the 
misery that was thus inflicted on many a family ? — In 
fact there could be no such thing as domestic comfort in 
any country where the inquisition was established. It is 
not enough that every young lady kept at home, that 
she did not so much as show her face at a window, this 
would certainly have made her a victim to any member 
of the holy office whose spies might have been passing. 
Every exposure of this kind therefore was most carefully 
avoided. But this did not serve the purpose of conceal- 
ing such as might be desirable inmates of the inquisition. 
For every lady was required to make confession to a 
priest twice, or at least once every year, the priests were 
all dependants of the holy office, they were in short the 
panders of lewdness to the lords, the inquisitors, and 
becoming, by means of confession, acquainted with the 
name and circumstances of every individual in every 
family, it was easy for them to inform their superiors, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 32? 

where they might obtain a victim to be sacrificed at the 
shrine of their lusts." 

The holy fathers sometimes required parents to be the 
informers against their own children, and sometimes to 
banish them from their homes from parental affection for 
alleged heresy. The following account of the conver- 
sion of a papist to protestantism, and his consequent 
banishment from the parental roof, will illustrate the 
persecuting spirit of popery in this respect. Patrick 
Bradley, the person in view, says of himself : "In my 
sixteenth year, I was by the advice of my parents and the 
priest, admitted to the communion of the church. I had 
then, and once afterward, a specimen of auricular confes- 
sion ; to these two events of my life I look back with 
horror. If auricular confession be at all times conducted 
as it was when I was engaged in it, I have no hesitation 
in saying, that I consider it one of the most abominable 
and corrupting institutions of popery. If a person con- 
fessing hesitates for a moment through defect of memory, 
or through the feelings of shame, the father confessor 
proposes a leading question, on the various kinds and 
degrees of iniquity, and thus stimulates the reluctant 
devotee, and drags from him or her the inmost secrets of 
the heart. To say a single word in explanation of the 
questions which a father confessor will thus propose to a 
young man or woman, to husband or wife, would be to 
imitate his vile example. You will perceive at a single 
glance, that they tend to increase the knowledge of the 
young and simple in the ways of transgression, and to 
render vices of the most disgusting and injurious kind 
familiar to all. About the time I mention, a protestant 
friend lent me three sermons, which he had bought from 
some person selling tracts. The perusal of these sermons 
produced a deep and painful impression on my mind. 
All my former views of religion were distracted and 
confounded, and new views of sin and duty were forcibly 
pressed upon my attention. In these sermons the scrip- 



328 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

tures seemed to me to speak a new language, and to pre- 
sent to my mind an entirely new scene of contemplation. 
I determined to read the sermons again with the bible in 
my hand. This second perusal increased the pain I felt 
in a very high degree. From the scriptures I found I 
could not refute the doctrines taught in these sermons, 
and to admit these doctrines to be true, was, according to 
the lessons I had been taught from my infancy, to expose 
myself to all the horrors of eternal damnation. In this 
state of mind I knew not what to do. I dared not con- 
sult my parents ; for to do so I knew was to bring on 
myself their high displeasure, and perhaps all the sar- 
casm and censure of my ghostly father. And to apply 
to any protestant, I felt was in some measure to commit 
myself, without being fully persuaded in my own mind. 
By my manner of conducting myself for some time I had 
attracted the attention of my mother. Observing my 
absence from mass, and hearing of my attendance at pro- 
testant places of worship, she began to dread the very 
worst of me that a popish parent can dread of a child — 
heresy. It was on sabbath morning that she first spoke 
to me on the subject. She began by asking me if I was 
going that day with the rest of the family to prayers ? 
At that moment my whole frame shook, and through 
fear and anxiety I found myself wholly unable to speak. 
I had long wished for such an opportunity as this, to 
speak to my tender hearted and affectionate mother, on a 
subject that engrossed my whole attention, yet when it 
presented itself to me unexpectedly I found myself quite 
unable. She saw my confusion and was grieved to the 
heart. The sorrow I saw in her face was the first thing 
that roused me from the stupor into which I had sunk, 
and I said to her, — no, I am not going with the rest oi 
the family to prayers to day. She said, why ? I had 
been reading in the new testament when this conversa- 
tion commenced, and holding it out to her — I said, 
because I find no authority for mass in this book. She 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 

quickly asked what book it was I was reading? And I 
told her. She then felt all that a tender-hearted, affec- 
tionate Roman Catholic mother could feel in such cir- 
cumstances. And I find sir, nineteen years after this 
interview, that I have not nerves to proceed with the story 
of it. 

" Of the part I had now acted, the priest was soon in- 
formed, and with the mild and merciful spirit of his order, 
he passed sentence upon me, without ever condescending 
to converse with me, and without ever making a single 
effort to enlighten my mind, and reclaim me from my 
supposed heresy. The sentence which he passed, I was 
informed, was, ' That I was a heretic, and must be ba- 
nished from the family;' sagely adding, 'that the clean 
must be kept from the unclean.' This sentence, to be 
communicated to me, my parents, influenced by strong 
affection, hesitated to carry into execution. But a popish 
priest knows nothing about parental affection, and cares 
less about it in such a case as this. He therefore repeated 
the sentence, and accompanied the repetition with consi- 
derations fitted to command an immediate compliance. 
A popish priest in Ireland is never at loss for considera- 
tions to influence the conduct of his flock in matters con- 
nected with their religion. In obedience, therefore, to 
the repeated commands of a man who called himself a 
minister of the gospel of peace, and who professed him- 
self a disciple of the meek and lowly Jesus, I was ba- 
nished from my father's house for no crime but that of 
desiring to worship the God that made me according to 
the dictates of my own conscience. I believe my pa- 
rents thought that the very attempt to banish me from the 
family would bring me to immediate submission, and that 
they, on that account, yielded the more easily to the com- 
mands of the priest. In the affair my father took no 
direct hand ; the painful task devolved upon my mother, 
and I believe was devolved upon her in the hope that her 
tenderness and affection would so work upon my feeJ- 

28* 



330 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

ings, that I would not be able to part with her. On the 
day fixed for this banishment, she rolled up a small par- 
cel of linens, and desired me, with an aching heart, to 
accompany her on a short journey. I did so ; and when 
about a mile from the village, she stopped suddenly, and 
made the last appeal to my feelings. She did every thing 
which reasoning, and prayers, and tears, could do, to in- 
duce me to return to the bosom of the church, out of 
which she believed and declared there is no salvation. 
I felt deeply and wept bitterly, but God enabled me to re- 
main faithful. After some minutes of great suffering on 
both sides, we parted, and I was not permitted, for about 
two years, to enter my father's house, though I had often 
occasion to pass very near it. After my banishment 
from my father's house, the Lord provided for my tem- 
poral support in a manner wonderfully gracious. ' When 
my father and my mother forsook me, the Lord took me 
up.' Indeed, when I look back, which I frequently do, 
upon the way by which God has led me, I must consider 
myself as in a peculiar' manner the child of providence, 
God has often brought me, when blind, by a way which 
I knew not, and led me in paths that I had not known ; 
he has often made darkness light before me, and crooked 
things strait." 

In addition to the foregoing examples of popish intole- 
rance and persecution, two memorable events may be 
mentioned, which are, the massacre of St. Bartholomew's 
day at Paris, and the revocation of the edict of Nantz by 
Louis XIV., king of France, as illustrative of the spirit 
of popery as developed in proportion to opportunity and 
means. With a brief account of these two events, the pre- 
sent section will be closed. The former event, viz., the 
massacre of St. Bartholomew's day, is so connected Avith 
preceding events, that we shall need to take a concise 
view of those antecedents. 

At the death of Henry II. of France, in 1559, Fran- 
cis II., a youth of sixteen years, feeble both in body and 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 331 

mind, succeeded. His mother, Catherine de Medicis, 
the duke of Guise, and his brother the cardinal of Lor- 
raine, all decided papists, ruled the nation, and were 
zealously bent on crushing the reformation, and extirpa- 
ting all heretics. The king of Navarre, the prince of 
Conde, and the admiral Coligni, on the other hand, were 
friendly to the reformers, and with others were in league 
to overthrow the influence of the Guises. But, as usual 
in such conflicts, the friends of the reformation were be- 
trayed, and the protestants were generally involved in 
persecution. Many perished, numbers fled from the 
country, and still more were imprisoned, robbed of their 
property, and variously harassed for seventeen months. 
In 1560, Charles IX. commenced his reign, and being 
only eleven years old when his brother died, their mother 
still continued regent. To secure her power she sought 
the friendship of the king of Navarre, and of the pro- 
testants. She needed money, and the states general were 
assembled the following year ; but they did nothing but 
wrangle. The papists demanded the extirpation of all 
heretics, and the protestants demanded toleration. The 
court issued a decree forbidding religious disputes, re- 
leasing imprisoned protestants, and allowing toleration to 
all who would externally conform to the established reli- 
gion, unless they chose to quit the country. In 1562 a 
national convention assembled at St. Germain, and agreed 
that the protestants should be allowed to hold private 
worship, till a general council should decide all religious 
disputes. The protestants were not quite satisfied with 
this, but the papists were outrageous. Tumults ensued. 
The king of Navarre, to gain an addition to his territory, 
abandoned the protestants, and summoned the duke of 
Guise to the capital to suppress the tumults. He obeyed, 
and passing through Vassi in Champaigne, he found an 
assembly holding worship in a barn. His soldiers com- 
menced a quarrel with them, and then murdered 260 of 
their number. A civil war now broke out. The pro- 



332 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

testants made Orleans their head-quarters, and had the 
prince of Conde and admiral Coligni for leaders ; while 
the papists were commanded by the duke of Guise, the 
king of Navarre, and the constable Montmorency. Much 
blood was shed, many towns were taken and ravaged. 
The king of Navarre fell in battle, the duke of Guise 
was assassinated. Montmorency and Conde were both 
taken prisoners. After some other changes, a peace was 
concluded in 1570, on the principle of amnesty for the 
past, a free toleration of the protestants everywhere, a 
limited right to except against popish judges, and the 
possession of four cities for two years, to be garrisonec 
by protestants. This treaty on the part of the papists 
was a lure ; and to lull the protestants the more into se- 
curity, the court now enforced the treaty with much ap- 
parent zeal ; for they were resolved to effect by treach- 
ery what they could not effect by power. A marriage 
was proposed between the young king of Navarre, who 
since the death of his father, had espoused the protestan: 
cause, and the sister of the king of France. By this 
means the king of Navarre, the admiral Coligni, and the 
young prince of Conde, were drawn to the court as 
guests. This was a step preparatory to the tragical 
scene which was to follow, which was no less than the 
murder of all these illustrious personages and their 
friends in the city, while they were put off their guard, 
and were reposing confidence in the pledged faith and 
hospitality of papists. The bloody work began at mid- 
night, on St. Bartholomew's day, August 22, 1572. The 
signal was the tolling of the great bell of the palace, and 
the butchery continued three days. Coligni was the first 
victim. With him, five hundred noblemen, and six thou- 
sand other protestants, were murdered in Paris alone. 
Orders were despatched to different parts of the kingdom 
for a similar massacre. More than thirty thousand, and 
some say seventy thousand, perished by the hand of the 
assassins. The pope, hearing of this glorious news, was 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 333 

so delighted, that he proclaimed a jubilee throughout all 
Christendom. He also ordered a medal to be struck off' 
in commemoration of this event, so sweet to his feelings. 
On one side of the medal was a well defined profile of his 
own face, and on the other the figure of an angel de- 
scending from heaven, wielding a great sword in the 
blessed work of mowing down protestants. This, it is 
presumed, must have been a popish angel ; the departed 
spirit of Nero, perhaps ; for good angels never have been 
known to engage in killing men for their religious belief. 
They are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to 
them that shall be heirs of salvation. But no doubt the 
pope might find those among his demons whom he wor- 
ships, that would readily join him in such work. 

But nothing could exceed the rejoicings of the papists 
when they saw their opponents. thus basely betrayed, and 
barbarously murdered. They imagined that in this car- 
nage they saw the subversion of the protestant cause, and 
their own triumph. In this, however they were sorely 
disappointed. The protestants were weakened but not 
crushed, and the horrid deed accomplished little else 
than to illustrate the genius of popery to all future gene- 
rations. 

The protestant chiefs losing all confidence in papists, 
and in the government under their influence, entered into 
combinations for their own safety. The prince of Conde, 
who had been imprisoned, escaped, and went into Ger- 
many to form alliances in behalf of his friends. Charles 
the IX. died and was succeeded by Henry III., a disso- 
lute man and a violent papist. Civil war again raged. 
But in the result, the protestants gained more freedom of 
worship. The papists grieved at this, entered into al- 
liance with the king of Spain and the pope, and obliged 
the king to abrogate his decrees in favor of the protes- 
tants. The war was renewed, and again in the result, 
the protestants gained their point. This led the papists 
again to the king of Spain with whom they formed a 



334 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

league to extirminate the protestants and overturn the go- 
vernment. After the death of Henry III., the king of 
Navarre was next heir to the crown, which he assumed 
under the title of Henry IV. To effect a peace, he 
professed the popish faith, but gave a free toleration to 
all his protestant subjects. In 1598, he published the 
edict of Nantz, as the basis of protestant liberty, and by 
it he confirmed all the privileges ever before conceded to 
them ; gave them equal civil rights, equal privileges in 
the universities and public schools, made them eligible 
to all public offices, and allowed them to establish places 
of worship, in places of a particular description through- 
out the realm. He also gave them an annual stipend of 
about 40,000 crowns for the support of their ministers. 
And though the papists murmured and endeavored to 
infringe on these privileges, Henry protected the protes- 
tant cause to the end of his reign. 

This edict of Nantz was an occasion of as great grief to 
the papists as the massacre of St. Bartholomew had been 
of joy. But they never found an opportunity to pro- 
cure its abrogation till the reign of Louis XIV., grand- 
son to Henry IV., who granted the edict. Cardinal 
Richelieu the prime minister under Louis XIII., set 
himself to accomplish the ruin of the protestant cause in 
France. He made war upon the protestants contrary to 
former treaties. And at length reduced their principal 
fortress, Rochelle. Not satisfied with this success, he 
next attacked their religion, demanding that they should 
return to the papal church, or be considered enemies to 
the state. At first, milder measures were resorted to, 
such as promises, and conciliatory expositions of doc- 
trines, particularly offensive to the reformed churches, 
Richelieu spared no pains or arts which he thought 
would have any influence, to draw the reformed by strata- 
gem and deception to return to the popish church. 
But as little was effected by these measures, the popish 
bishops resorted to the most unrighteous laws, and all 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 335 

possible measures of vexation and persecution which 
were in their power, gradually to exhaust the people, 
and compel them from necessity if not from choice to join 
the popish standard. Many yielded, being overcome by 
their grievous sufferings, others left the country, but 
most remained firm in the religion of their fathers. At 
length under Louis XIV., after all artifices had been ex- 
hausted, the popish prelates and the Jesuits, who then 
bore sway in the counsels of the king, determined that 
this people, the protestants of France, must be extermina- 
ted by violence, and crushed by a single stroke. Over- 
come by their arguments and solicitations, the king, in 
the year 1685, with the approbation and applause of the 
Roman Pontiff, in violation of all laws human and divine, 
revoked the edict of Nantz, and commanded his reformed 
subjects to return to the arms of popery. This was the 
signal for distress and violence to the protestants through- 
out the kingdom. Vast multitudes of French people 
were compelled to leave their country and to wander into 
various parts of Europe, and into the wilds of America, to 
find an asylum from cruel persecution. Soldiers were 
despatched into all parts of the kingdom to make con- 
verts to popery at the point of the bayonet. Every spe- 
cies of torture, vexation and suffering was inflicted on 
the poor persecuted protestants, to make them profess 
with their lips, and adopt in outward forms, a religion 
which they abhorred in their hearts. Great pains were 
taken to prevent their escape from the country, for the 
papists would admit of no alternative but to submit, or 
die. But after all their vigilance, from half a million to 
a million are supposed to have found means to reach 
foreign countries. And some of the best families in these 
United States came to this country and adopted it as their 
own in consequence of this persecution. And those who 
could not escape, were butchered in great numbers, or 
compelled to abjure their faith to save their lives. Thus 
treaties and oaths, and promises the most solemn that 



336 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

man can make, was violated by the papists without com- 
punction, when the opportunity offered, and their inter- 
ests seemed to demand. Such is the genius of popery. 
It has always invariably manifested a persecuting and 
intolerant spirit, so far as circumstances would admit, 
and has carried its persecutions to all the extremes of bar- 
barous cruelty and savage malignity. No one has ever 
been able to live peaceably with a papist, in the exercise 
of his own rights of conscience, without the shield of civil 
power, constantly over him for protection. And from 
observation, as well as from the very nature and princi- 
ples of popery, it is very certain that no one ever will 
enjoy toleration from popery only as a matter of neces- 
sity. 



SECTION IX. 

SUPERSTITIONS OF POPERY. 

Under the above general denomination, it is proposed 
to treat of a variety of institutions and practices of popery, 
which have not yet come into view. And the first of 
these is 

Monasticism.— By this term we understand a prac- 
tice, adopted very extensively by papists, and at length 
by a law of general council, erected into a permanent in- 
stitution of popery, wherein persons of both sexes sepa- 
rate themselves from the common duties and relations of 
life, to a life of perpetual celibacy, poverty, and as they 
say, devotion. Monasticism involves three vows which 
are considered essential to its existence, and binding on 
all its devotees. These are, poverty, chastity and obedi- 
ence to a superior. Males who assume the monastic 
vows are called monks. Females who assume these 
vows are called nuns. There have been many different 
orders of monastic persons in the papal church, some of 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 337 

the principal of which have been already mentioned in 
the preceding historical sketch. What is now in view, 
is to give an outline of the origin, nature, and conse- 
quences of monasticism in general. " Among the cor- 
ruptions which were early introduced into the Christian 
church," says a late writer, " monasticism holds a promi- 
nent place ; an invention which is equally incompatible 
with the constitution of man, the welfare of the social sys- 
tem, and the design of Christianity. The religion of the 
gospel is an active religion, adapted to the existing state 
of society, and never intended to interfere with the ordi- 
nary relations and duties of life. The Saviour did not 
pray that his disciples might be taken out of the world, 
but that they might be kept from the evil. Instead of 
withdrawing from his fellows, and thinking to serve the 
divine being better by mere acts of contemplation and 
devotion, the Christian is commanded not to be slothful in 
business, while they are fervent in spirit serving the 
Lord ; to combine the active with the contemplative, to 
abide in his calling with God, and to fulfil the respec- 
tive obligations arising out of the domestic and social 
state. The religion of the bible, is not hostile to the laws 
of nature, or to the general intentions of divine provi- 
dence." 

^To the above remarks may be added, that God has 
expressly commanded, "that if any man do not work, 
(i e. contribute by his own exertions of body or mind, to 
his own wants, or the public weal) neither shall he eat." 
This law of course applies to all who have physical 
power of compliance. If then monks and nuns can live, 
and are willing to abide the consequences of living with- 
out food or clothing, there would be more consistency 
in the course they adopt ; though even then it would be 
wholly unjustifiable, as a. dereliction of duty to God. 
But while the monk is engaged in his solitary contem- 
plations, if he really do so, some body must be laboring 
so much harder to furnish him with the necessaries of 
29 



338 history or poperst. 

life. If he then gains any thing by this course, he gains 
it by another's loss. And what propriety or utility is 
there in this arrangement which adds nothing to the 
general good. This however, is viewing the subject in 
the fairest light. Does the monk really gain any thing 
to himself? Facts will answer this question. So far 
from gaining any thing, monasticism has done incalcula- 
ble mischief to its own votaries, as well as to communities. 
Monks and nuns have made vows indeed of chastity and 
poverty ; but have they kept them ? In a general view, 
it is well known to every reader of ecclesiastical history, 
that these vows have been systematically and shamelessly 
broken. They have professed to live in contemplation 
and devotion and self-mortification. This in a few 
instances may have been the fact. But in general they 
have been notorious for vice, for being busy-bodies in 
other men's matters, and shamefully luxurious and licen- 
tious. The whole concern, then has been worse than a 
dead loss to the world. Better, far better both to themselves 
and the world, had it been if most who have devoted 
themselves to monasticism, had never been born. Besides, 
God created man male and female, and this he did for 
some important purpose. Have men a right to annul 
this arrangement of divine providence, and to frustrate its 
design ; and are they warranted to suppose that such a 
course is peculiarly acceptable to God, unless indicated 
by some special manifestation of the divine will? What 
pleasure does the Deity take in the celibacy of men 
or women, by which his arrangement in creation and 
in providence is desecrated from its proper use and 
diverted from its proper channel ? Is this the way to 
please God or to render ourselves acceptable to him ? 
The system of monasticism is all founded in pride and 
self-righteousness. Popish convents it is true are often 
filled with females, whose choice of that life is apparently 
influenced by a powerful feeling of devotion and deadness 
to the world. But what are the motives set before them 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 339 

to induce this feeling ? They are told, in the presence 
of an admiring assembly that they are to become the 
spouse of Christ, and to enter on a state of almost angelic 
purity, and that separated from the temptations and sins 
of the world, they will possess every facility for accom- 
plishing their salvation, and increasing their merit in the 
sight of God. Now, supposing this to be their real 
motive when they enter on this course of life, and that 
they are wholly unacquainted with the depths of Satan 
into which they are about to plunge, yet what is their 
motive, to say nothing of its delusion and its gross irreve- 
rence, what is it but a piece of self-righteousness ? What 
better in spirit or principle than the practice of the 
Hindoo female who devotes herself to the funeral pile, or 
of him who casts himself before the wheels of the car 
of Juggernaut? 

With these preliminary remarks, we proceed to exa- 
mine the features of monasticism more in detail. 

The monastic spirit first appeared in a sect of fanatical 
Jews, called Therapentae, who claimed to be disciples of 
Moses, notwithstanding their wide departure from him. 
They gave up all their property and retired to solitary 
places, where they lived in huts, without any external 
worship, and without labor ; mortifying their bodies by 
fasting, and their souls by contemplation, in order to bring 
the heaven-born spirit, now imprisoned in the body, into 
light and liberty, and fit it for the celestial mansions after 
death. They assembled together every seventh day of 
the week, and after religious ceremonies, they ate to- 
gether, feeding on salt with bread and water. This meal 
was followed by a sacred dance which continued through 
the night. At first the men and women danced apart, 
but at length, guided, as they claimed, by inspiration, 
they joined together in this exercise, and labored by 
violent outcries, songs, and movements, to express the 
love of God working in their hearts. 

We next find the monastic spirit operating in the sect 



340 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

of professing Christians called mystics, which arose in the 
second century. Origen imprudently attempted to mingle 
the Platonic philosophy with Christianity, and thus pro- 
duced a spurious mixture called mysticism. Ammonius 
Saccas, the leader of the Platonic school, taught the wise 
who aimed at superior attainments, that they must, by 
means of contemplation, elevate their souls, which were 
the offspring of God, above all earthly things, and to 
weaken and emaciate their bodies, which were hostile to 
the liberty of their souls, by means of hunger, thirst, 
labor, and other austerities, so that they might in the 
present life attain to communion with God, and ascend 
after death, active and unincumbered, to the universal 
parent, and be forever united to him. This scheme in- 
fected at length the Christian church, and laid a founda- 
tion for the idea that piety was greatly promoted by 
ignorance and idleness. This sentiment was afterwards 
adopted by the orders of monks, and became the inlet to 
many of the superstitions of popery. After this sentiment 
had gained influence among professed Christians, in the 
beginning of the fourth century, a vast multitude of 
monks and sacred virgins spread themselves with aston- 
ishing rapidity over the whole Christian world. In a 
short time the east swarmed with persons, who abandon- 
ing the occupations and conveniences of life, and all 
intercourse with society, pined away amidst various 
hardships, hunger and sufferings, in order to attain to a 
more close communion with God and the angels. The 
Christian world would have remained free from these 
tortures of mind and body, had not that great, fascinating 
doctrine of ancient philosophy obtained influence among 
Christians, that, to attain to happiness and communion 
with God, the soul must be freed from the influence of 
the body, and for this purpose, the body must be subdued 
by severity. From this time, monasteries in the east and 
west, began to arise, and orders of monks to be formed, 
and the system in its moral tendencies began to be 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 341 

unfolded. The monks were early divided into the 
Coenobites and the Eremites. The former dwelt together 
in the same house under a common leader or father, who 
was called abbot. The latter led a cheerless, solitary 
life in the wilderness, dwelling in hovels and among the 
wild beasts. Another class or order called Anchorites, 
went still further in their austerities. They had no kind 
of shelter, fed on roots and plants, and had no fixed resi- 
dence, but lodged wherever night overtook them. They 
were vagrants who roamed about the country, and 
obtained their living by practising various impositions. 
The Coenobites were notorious for their, vicious, profligate 
practices. Their social intercourse soon degenerated in 
bacchanalian revels, and scenes of debauchery. The other 
orders of Eremites and Anchorites, were either fanatics, 
or knaves and impostors. And yet on account of their 
professions merely, they were accounted persons of great 
sanctity, and so great was their reputation in this respect, 
that though they had been originally laymen, many of 
them were received into the order of the priesthood, and 
the bishops were often taken from their ranks. The 
erection of edifices, where monks and nuns might serve 
God was carried beyond all bounds. As they became 
popular they became rich, and as a natural consequence, 
vicious ; so that as early as the fifth century the licen- 
tiousness of monasteries became proverbial. 

When popery had developed itself, and had taken full 
possession by the grant of the tyrant Phocas and some 
of his successors, as has been narrated, it seized upon 
monasticism as one of its chief supports, and has ever 
since found the monks and nuns a kind of standing spi- 
ritual militia, or life-guard. " The partiality of the pope 
for the monastic orders," says a late writer, " is easily 
accounted for. They constitute a peculiar and distinct 
body, so estranged from society that they can give undi- 
vided attention and solicitude to any object that is pre- 
sented to their notice ; and that object has universally 
29* 



342 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

been the aggrandizement of the church, (i. e. popery.) 
Incorporated by pontifical authority, exempted to a great 
degree from episcopal jurisdiction, and endowed with 
many privileges and favors from which the rest of the 
faithful are excluded, they are bound in gratitude to make 
the pope's interests their own. History testifies that they 
have ever been ready to come forward in support of the 
most glaring enormities of the papal system, and that to 
their indefatigable diligence and adroit management, the 
triumphant progress of that system was mainly indebted. 
They formed a sort of local militia, stationed in every 
country of Europe, always prepared to uphold the cause 
to which they have attached themselves, by aggression, 
defence, stratagem, or imposture, as the case might re- 
quire. If, during the last three centuries, the ancient 
orders have diminished, the loss has been abundantly 
supplied by the rise of a new order called Jesuits, whose 
superior activity, consummate art and skill, peculiar de- 
votedness to popery, and unexampled effrontery in the 
commission of any crime by which their religion might 
be advanced, have won for them the strongest confidence 
and attachment of the popes." But while the monastic 
orders have been a blessing to popery, they have been a 
curse to the world as well as the church. Monasteries 
and convents have in every age been the hot beds of vice. 
This is sufficiently evident from the numerous decrees 
passed by popes and general councils for the regulation 
and restraint of these orders. Contrary to their vow, 
they have invariably become immensely rich. This has 
given them power and consequence in the affairs of the 
world. This advantage to secure earthly interest has 
been diligently improved ; so that, however strict their 
rules in this respect, they have paid but very limited de- 
ference to rules, and all discipline in the orders respecting 
property have been very quickly prostrated. The second 
vow, respecting chastity, so far as lawful marriage is 
concerned, has been generally observed in these orders* 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 343 

But instead of marriage, concubinage, and in many cases 
if not in most, unrestrained licentiousness, have been in- 
troduced. So much and so invariably has this conse- 
quence followed, that a convent, in most ages and coun- 
tries, has been only another name for a brothel ; and 
those introduced thither, however ignorant they or their 
friends may be of the fact when they enter, have been 
soon initiated into scenes and practices from the contem- 
plation of which decency revolts. This is a subject con- 
cerning which a particular disclosure, in a public man- 
ner, would be improper, but which demands the serious 
attention of those who resort to convents as places of 
piety, and of those who send their young and unsuspect- 
ing daughters to be educated by these adepts in the art of 
leading astray. Look at this subject, ye fathers and mo- 
thers, who are tempted, by the fair exterior of popery, to 
commit your tender children to its embraces ! It is the 
same as to put them into the arms of the fiery Moloch, 
or to make them pass through the fire. 

But the prohibition of lawful marriage, with its evil 
tendencies and fruits, not only extends to monks and 
nuns, but embraces the whole popish clergy. By the 
present constitution of popery, all ecclesiastics, or persons 
in holy orders, of whatever degree, are bound to per- 
petual celibacy. It is not a recommendation merely, but 
a law, rigidly enforced, and with unspeakable injury to 
religion and morality. In popish legends, much is said 
in commendation of chastity, which seems, in the view 
of papists, to constitute the only ingredient in holiness. 
But in practice, it appears that the only chastity which 
they are careful to observe is abstinence from the lawful 
and divinely appointed intercourse of the sexes. This is 
all they appear to mean or understand concerning this 
virtue. For, as we shall presently have occasion to see 
from a few facts, not only is gross unchastity, in its pro- 
per sense, winked at by the highest authorities at Rome, 
but even allowed and sanctioned. This is a specimen of 



344 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

shameless inconsistency, to which the history of man 
affords few, if any, parallels. But so great was the su- 
perstition about the mortification of the body, and such 
the fame of sanctity attached to the bare profession of 
abstinence, that very soon it became essential, in public 
estimation, to a life of religion. A prejudice against 
married clergymen began extensively to prevail. And 
this was carefully cherished by the popes. Those priests 
who had wives were at first deemed inferior to their 
brethren who had not ; and finally, they were deemed 
unfit for their office. Long and arduous were the strug- 
gles which ensued ; but the pope and Satan finally pre- 
vailed on this point, and the celibacy and professed chas- 
tity of priests were the established law of the popish 
kingdom. 

The following decrees show the light in which the 
council of Trent viewed the subject now under exami- 
nation : — " IX. Decree. Whoever shall affirm that per- 
sons in holy orders, or regulars, who have made a so- 
lemn profession of chastity, may contract marriage, and 
that the contract is valid, notwithstanding any ecclesias- 
tical law or vow ; and that to maintain the contrary is 
nothing less than to condemn marriage; and that all 
persons may marry, who feel that, though they should 
make a vow of chastity, they have not the gift thereof; 
let him be accursed. For God does not deny his gifts 
to those who 'ask aright, neither does he suffer us to be 
tempted above what we are able. X. Decree. Who- 
ever shall affirm that the conjugal state is to be preferred 
to a state of virginity or celibacy, and that it is not bet- 
ter and more conducive to happiness to remain in vir- 
ginity or celibacy, than to be married, let him be ac- 
cursed." Concerning the divine injunction — " Be fruit- 
ful and multiply," &c. — the popish catechism has the fol- 
lowing comment : — " This injunction does not impose on 
every individual the obligation to marry ; they declare the 
object of the institution of marriage ; and now that the 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 345 

human race is widely diffused, not only is there no law 
rendering marriage obligatory, but on the contrary, vir- 
ginity is highly exalted, and strongly recommended in 
scripture as superior to marriage, as a state of greater 
perfection and holiness." If this is true, then surely 
every person ought to aim at it, and is under obligation 
to practice it, because every one is bound to aim at a state 
of the greatest attainable perfection. And if celibacy is 
that state for man, what can exonerate every man and 
woman from the obligation? Where, then, in a few 
years, would be the wide extension of the human race ? 
Even popery itself must become extinct for want of sub- 
jects, if this rule of holiness were universal. It cannot, 
then, be the general rule of holiness , nor is it a state 
most favorable to holiness, especially when voluntary 
without any special occasion in providence. God has 
fixed the law of marriage in the physical constitution of 
man, and it is a law which cannot, in ordinary cases, be 
neglected or avoided, without exposure at least to moral 
evils of the greatest magnitude. This is enough to de- 
monstrate the obligation so far as circumstances will per- 
mit. And notwithstanding the curses of popery, even if 
they were multiplied an hundred fold, every man of sense 
and honesty will affirm that a conjugal state is greatly to 
be preferred to a state of celibacy, both as a means of 
happiness and holiness. God does not keep us from 
temptation when we voluntarily run into it, and expose 
ourselves to the devices of Satan. 

The laws of popery respecting monasteries and con- 
vents, and those who assume vows, are very rigid and 
severe. They say that nunneries shall be kept carefully 
closed, and egress be absolutely forbidden to the nuns un- 
der any pretence whatsoever, without special license, on 
pain of excommunication. Magistrates being enjoined, 
under the same penalty, to assist the bishops, if neces- 
sary, by employing force ; and the latter being urged to 
their duty by the fear of the judgment of God, and the 



346 history or POPERY. 

eternal curse, " That if any monk or nun pretended that 
they had taken the vows under the influence of force or 
fear, or before the age appointed by law, they should not 
be heard, except within five years of their profession ; 
if they laid aside the habit of their own accord, they 
should not be permitted to make the complaint, but be 
compelled to return to the monastery, and be punished as 
apostates, and in the mean time, deprived of all the pri- 
vileges of their order. 1 ' 

It may be said, perhaps, that none came under these 
regulations but by their own voluntary act. But we are 
to keep in mind the flattering motives that are held up to 
the young and inexperienced to engage. And when 
once engaged, or having stepped over the threshold, there 
is no retreat but with utter disgrace. A female who 
should return to the world after having experienced the 
delusion of her hopes, and the exposure of her condi- 
tion, would be met with universal contempt and neglect. 
Her family and friends would consider themselves disho- 
nored, and probably would refuse to receive her. Her 
acquaintance would refuse to associate with her. No 
man would ever regard her as a candidate for marriage. 
She would be an object of universal scorn. Such is pub- 
lic opinion and the strength of superstition in popish 
countries, that it operates with the force of the Hindoo 
law of caste, or that by which the widow is impelled to 
the funeral pile of her husband, to which her own son 
puts the torch. 

But after all the severity of the above and similar rules 
by which communication with the exterior world in gene- 
ral is cut off from nunneries, yet there are ways and 
means found by which unrestrained intercourse with cer- 
tain parts of the world is enjoyed. Though the nuns 
have no egress on pain of excommunication, yet there are 
those who have ingress whenever they please, and it is 
said, by means of a subterranean passage attached to 
the nunnery for that purpose. The prioress of the con- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 347 

vent of St. Catherine, at Pistoie, says, " with the excep- 
tion of three or four religious persons, all the monks, 
now dead or alive, whom I have ever known, were of 
the same character. They all made the same profession, 
and adopted the same conduct. They live with the nuns 
on more familiar terms than married people live to- 
gether." For endeavoring to suppress these disorders, 
Ricci was stigmatized by pope Pius VI. as a fanatic, a 
liar, a calumniator, seditious, and an usurper of other 
men's rights. This is the testimony of one who knew the 
facts. Is it asked, what is the object of those severe laws 
above mentioned, if these convents are so corrupt ? The 
answer is, the priests are jealous of their fellow men, 
and guard their prey with the same feelings that the 
grand Turk keeps a watchful eye over his harem. These 
nunneries are in fact the harems of the priests and monks. 
The following definition of a monk is by a baron of Hun- 
gary : — " Monk. An animal, greedy, filthy, impure, un- 
profitable, slothful, more inclined to endure hunger than 
toil. They live by rapine and gain ; they think the world 
was created for their use alone ; they indulge in secret 
intercourse with women ; they do not celebrate the rites 
of marriage ; they expose their offspring ; they treat 
their own species with cruelty, and deceitfully ensnare 
their enemies. Use. An unprofitable burden to the 
earth, created to devour the fruits thereof." 

The ceremony of introducing an applicant for a place 
in the convent, is thus described in an Irish journal from 
the mouth of popery. "Miss Joyce, daughter of Walter 
Joyce, Esqr. of Mervieu, was received to-day, amongst 
the pious and exemplary sisterhood of the Presentation 
convent ; scarcely have we ever witnessed a scene more 
sublimely imposing. The young and promising daugh- 
ter of one of our most respectable and esteemed citizens, 
presenting herself at the altar of her God, in the aban- 
donment of every earthly consideration — in the sacrifice 
of every thing that could bespeak permanency to social life 



348 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

and to social happiness, in the dedication of her exalted 
talents, of her young and innocent loveliness, of the world's 
promise and the world's hopes, must indeed he capable of 
awakening in the breasts of all, a generous and a dignified 
association, whilst it affords an important coloring to the 
completion of her future existence, and her ultimate des- 
tiny. At half past nine the 'Ogloriosa Virginum 1 was sung 
from the highest choir, in the masterly accompaniment 
of select musical performers. The procession then began 
to move from the vestry, through the lower choir to the 
chapel in the following order. 1. The Thuriferere. 2. 
The Acolytes. 3. The master of ceremonies, the Rev. 
Mr. Daly. 4. The subdeacon, the Rev. Mr. Gill. 5. 
Deacon, the Rev. Mr. O'Donnell. 6. The high priest, 
the Rev. Mr. Finn. 7. The celebrant, the very Rev. 

Warden French, and his train bearer. The Rev. 

Warden French having been conducted to his faldasto- 
rium, under a rich canopy, the high priest and his offici- 
ating ministers, retired to their places at the gospel side 
of the altar. And now all was breathless expectation ; 
the young postulant (applicant) appeared in the atten- 
dance of the Rev. mother, and her assistant, robed in all 
the gaudy extravagance of fashionable splendor, and 
beaming in the glows of youthful modesty, which taught 
us to believe, that had she remained in the world she for- 
sook, she would have moved the attraction of every 
heart, the leading star of every eye. The very Rev. Ce- 
lebrant was then conducted to the platform of the altar, 
and the postulant and her attendants having genufluted. 
(knelt,) the ceremony of reception began with the pre- 
paratory prayers and responsories. When the novice 
was seated, and the celebrant was reconducted to the fal- 
dastorium, high mass commenced with peculiar dignity, 
and with a strict precision in all the various ceremonies, 
which always render the Catholic service sublime." — 
(The reader can judge for himself of the sublimity by 
turning back to the description of the celebration of mass.) 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 349 

" After the gospel, the Rev. Mr. Daly delivered an ex- 
cellent sermon, addressed peculiarly to the novice, and 
prefaced by a text admirably pertinent to the subject he 
handled ! * Harken O daughter and see, incline thine 
ear ; thoushalt leave thy people and thy father's house, 
for the king hath greatly desired thy beauty, and he is 
the Lord thy God.' Ps. 45. After mass the novice re- 
tired, whilst the clerical choir chanted in full tone the 
Psalm, ' in exitu Israel de Egypto.' At the conclusion 
of the Psalm she appeared disrobed of her worldly habi- 
liments and vested in the simplicity of penance and re- 
tirement. In the different answers to questions put to 
her by the celebrant, she was clear and decisive, like one 
whose determination of embracing a life of religion and 
of chastity was that of long and conclusive reflection. 
The ceremony on the whole created a deep and general 
interest. The chapel and lower choir were crowded 
with the first of rank and distinction in our city and the 
vicinity. We recognized among them the respectable 
families of his grace the archbishop of Tuam, collec- 
tor Reilly, and our worthy mayor, Col. Carey." This 
puff is probably from the pen of some popish priest. Be 
that as it may, to every enlightened mind the ceremony 
here described is all mummery and nonsense. If it w T ere 
just as it appears, what is the amount ? Why a young 
sprightly damsel, to whom God has given talents and 
powers to be extensively useful, a comfort to her friends 
and a blessing to the world, resolves under the tuition of 
popery to throw away these talents, or bury them, and 
retire into solitude, and for what? Ah, who can tell? 
This is the best of it. But taking the affair, divested of 
external glare, just as it is, and as she will find it in the 
result, and what is it ? Why this fair unsuspecting dam- 
sel is persuaded, under the forms of superstition, to be- 
come a victim to the craft and villany of a few designing 
men. By superstitious rites she is drawn from the pater- 
nal roof, and from maternal watchfulness, and placed 
30 



350 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

beyond the reach of parental fidelity, at the mercy of 
wolves in sheep's clothing. And to grace the transac- 
tion, a passage of scripture, which is figuratively written 
of the church, is perverted and applied to this damsel, 
and the most blasphemous suggestion made, by a literal 
application of the language to her. If the preacher, in- 
stead of reading, " the king hath greatly desired thy 
beauty," had put the priests in the place of the king, he 
would have been much nearer the truth. Let the papists 
gloss this transaction over ever so much, or call it by 
what name they will, it is really a human sacrifice, as 
really so as the burning of Hindoo widows, and it in- 
volves precisely the same principle. In the words of 
another, " Here a silly young creature is represented as 
devoting herself to a life of celibacy, and perpetual se- 
clusion from the world, which must be a life of delusion 
or misery, or both, because it is contrary to the appoint- 
ment of God, who requires no man or woman to relin- 
quish the advantages of domestic and social intercourse, 
or to become thus secluded from the world, but who 
rather commands all to occupy the sphere which in his 
providence he assigns them in the world, for his glory 
and the good of their fellow creatures." What right has 
a female or any other person to devote their lives to per- 
petual seclusion, any more than they have to take away 
their own lives ? And when God shall require an ac- 
count of their stewardship what can they say more than 
was said by the unprofitable servant, and what can they 
expect to hear from the judge different from what he 
heard ? 

In regard to the profligacy of the popish priesthood 
and monasteries, in consequence of monasticism and celi- 
bacy, it will doubtless be said by the friends of popery 
that the sins of a few are charged upon the whole, and 
that this is very unreasonable. They will say there 
was one Judas in the family of Christ, an Ananias and 
Sapphira among the first disciples, and if a few priests, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 351 

monks and nuns should violate their vows, that should 
not in justice be charged to the whole community of pa- 
pists. To this plea there are two grounds of reply. 
First, the bad conduct of a few members of any commu- 
nity must be charged upon the whole body, if that body 
do not take proper measures to cast out the polluted mem- 
bers. Suppose the apostles had continued to consort 
with Judas after his character was known, suppose they 
made common cause with him, and continued to support 
and encourage him ; would they not have been justly 
chargeable with aiding and abetting him in his crimes ? 
The same inquiry w T ill apply to Ananias and Sapphira. 
Is it not the general sentiment of all reasonable men that 
the church which harbors and retains malefactors, know- 
ing them to be such, becomes a partaker in their guilt? 
If so, then it is asked when or how has popery ever 
cleansed herself of the admitted pollution of her members ? 
When has she ever cast out a priest, a monk, or a nun 
for known profligacy ? and even some of her popes have 
been men of grossly immoral lives, when has popery 
ever frowned effectually at these things ? No, in gene- 
ral she has defended her profligate sons, and when 
covered with the stains of sin she has pressed them more 
closely to her bosom. And if any have undertaken to 
disclose the facts or produce a reform, they have been 
arraigned as rebels. Take the case of Ricci already 
mentioned, who brought to light enormous wickedness in 
his own precincts and sought to apply a remedy, but he 
was frowned from papal presence. Can papists then 
complain that they bear the reproach of many when 
they make common cause with the workers of iniquity? 
But there is no necessity to enlarge here, for in the second 
place, it is not true that the delinquents and offenders 
among the orders of celibacy is an inconsiderable num- 
ber, a small proportion of the whole. Celibacy has been 
followed in all ages by very general and almost univer- 
sal corruption so much so as to demonstrate that the 



352 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

whole system is one of corruption, and if one in a thou- 
sand escapes, he is a kind of prodigy. The evidence of 
this truth is abundant on the page of history, even from 
the writings of popish authors themselves. For many 
of them have seen and deplored the evil, which with their 
system in operation, they could neither avoid nor cure. 
The detail of the evidence is a thankless and odious task 
both to the writer and readers, and cannot now be admit- 
ted to any considerable extent. Some things touching this 
point have been stated. In addition, it must suffice to 
state a few unquestionable facts. 

From the book entitled, " Taxes of the Apostolic chan- 
cery," it appears that a priest was allowed to keep a mis- 
tress for the small sum of half a guinea. If this was 
allowed by the highest authority in the papal community 
it is fair to infer that it was generally practiced. But we 
do not rest the charge on inference. Claude de Espence, 
a divine of great note in the papal church, says, " Shame- 
ful to relate, they give permission to priests to have con- 
cubines, and to live with their harlots, who have children 
by them, upon paying an annual tribute. And in some 
places they oblige the priest to pay this tax, saying ' they 
may keep a concubine if they please.' " This testimony 
is not the less valid from having been before cited to il- 
lustrate a different point. 

Dr. Henry in his history of Britain, gives the follow- 
ingaccount of the fifteenth century. " At the king's com- 
mand, the university of Oxford drew up a catalogue of 
those abuses in the church which needed reformation, to 
be laid before the council of Constance. This catalogue 
consists of forty-six articles, which though drawn up by 
priests, gives a most odious picture of the manners of the 
clergy at this time, particularly of their avarice and de- 
bauchery. Of each of these an example may be given. 
The 27th article is as follows. ' It is notorious, that 
when a pagan or Jew, abandoning his former errors, de- 
sires to be purified in the fount of baptism, all his tempo- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 353 

Tal goods are confiscated to the church, which, it is be- 
lieved, prevents many Jews from being baptized. It 
would be pious and meritorious in the council to remedy 
this abuse. For when Philip baptized the eunuch, he 
did not seize his chariot, or other goods he might have 
about him at the time of his baptism.' The 38th arti- 
cle represents, ' that the carnal and debauched lives of 
the clergy in our days, and their public fornications, which 
are never punished, (except perhaps with a small fine 
in private, probably the half crown tax,) set an evil ex- 
ample before others ; it would therefore be a holy thing, 
and contribute to the reformation of the church, if priests 
of every rank and order, who were public fornicators 
were obliged to abstain from saying mass for a limited 
time.' In this article it will be observed, the complaint 
is not concerning a few cases of criminal conduct here 
and there, but the article speaks of the clergy generally. 
Archbishop Bourchier, as related by the same historian, 
in a commission which he granted to one of his commis- 
saries to attempt some reform, says, ' that many of the 
clergy were ignorant, illiterate blockheads, or rather 
idiots, and that they were as profligate as they were igno- 
rant, neglecting their cures, strolling about the country 
with bad women in their company, spending the reve- 
nues of the church, in feasting and drinking, in fornica- 
tion and adultery.' " The successor of this worthy pri- 
mate of England, viz. John Morton, in a letter to the 
abbot of St. Albans, which has been published, char- 
ges him and his monks with the most odious vices, of 
which he says they were notoriously guilty. One of his 
crimes was, that he had " turned all the modest women 
out of the two nunneries of Pray and Sapwell and filled 
them with prostitutes, that they were esteemed no better 
than brothels, and were frequented as such publicly by 
him and his monks." Such was the condition of these 
holy seminaries of popery in the fifteenth century. 

When the reformation came on, Henry VIII. ordered 
30* 



354 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

a visitation of certain monasteries as preparatory to their 
suppression. The following is Dr. Henry's account of 
the result. " The visitors having received their commis- 
sion and instructions, were despatched into different parts 
of the kingdom at the same time, that the monks might 
have as little warning of their approach as possible. They 
executed their commissions with zeal and diligence, and 
made some curious discoveries almost in every house, 
not much to the honor of the inhabitants. In making 
these discoveries they were greatly indebted to the vio- 
lent factions which reigned among the monks and nuns, 
who informed against one another, and against their 
superiors. Accounts of their proceedings were transmit- 
ted by the visitors to the vicar-general, and contained 
sufficient materials to render the monasteries completely 
infamous, and the objects of universal detestation for 
their gross, absurd superstition and idolatry, their infernal 
cruelty, their shameful impositions on the credulity of the 
people, their abandoned unnatural incontinency, their 
drunkenness, gluttony, and other vices. Some of the old 
abbots and friars did not attempt to conceal their practi- 
ces. The holy father, the prior of Maiden-Bradley, pro- 
duced a dispensation from the pope, permitting him to 
keep a mistress, and he assured them he took none but 
young maidens, and when he was disposed to change he 
procured them husbands. Though he had no wife, and 
could not have agreeably to the rules of popery, yet he 
had already given portions out of the goods of the priory 
to six sons and one daughter who had been married, and 
several more of his children were nearly grow T n up." 
These investigations led to an act of parliament of which 
the following is the preamble, which gives a general 
view of the subject at that time. — " Forasmuch as mani- 
fest sin, vicious, carnal and abominable living is daily 
used and committed in abbeys, priories, and other reli- 
gious houses of monks, canons, and nuns ; and albeit, 
many continual visitations have been heretofore had, by 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 355 

the space of two hundred years and more, for an honest, 
charitable reformation of such unthrifty, carnal, and 
abominable living, yet nevertheless, little or no amend- 
ment is hitherto had, but their vicious living shamefully 
increaseth and augmenteth." In Scotland the state of 
things was no better. M'Crie, in his life of Knox, says, 
" The lives of the clergy exempted from secular jurisdic- 
tion, and corrupted by wealth and idleness were become 
a scandal to religion and an outrage to decency. While 
they professed chastity, and prohibited, under the severest 
penalties, any of the ecclesiastical order from contracting 
lawful wedlock, the bishops set the example of the most 
shameless profligacy before the inferior clergy. They 
avowedly kept in their houses harlots, provided their 
natural sons with benefices, and gave their daughters in 
marriage to the sons of the nobility and principal gentry, 
many of whom were so mean as to contaminate the blood 
of their families by such base alliances, for the sake of 
the rich doweries which they brought !" Cardinal Beton, 
the primate of Scotland, already mentioned as the mur- 
derer of Mr. Wishart, settled with the earl of Crawford 
the preliminaries of a marriage between the earl's eldest 
son and his own natural daughter, named Margaret, 
with whom he gave a very large fortune. The lives of 
the popish clergy in Ireland at this day, says the Rev. 
Charles Bourke, as well as on the continent, are not 
much more correct than at the reformation of Luther. 
The mistresses and children of reverend gentlemen can 
be shewn whenever they choose to put it to trial. They 
themselves know that this can be proved incontestibly. 
The above examples are taken chiefly from England and 
Scotland, because they were more free from the pollutions 
of popery, than most other countries that were subjected 
to its influence, and therefore exhibit, at least, a fair 
sample of the general fruits of popish monasticism. 

The next item of popish superstition which will come 
under consideration relates to Relics. And no part or 



356 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

portion of popery is more sottish and ridiculous than 
this. If the facts concerning it were not entirely incon- 
testible, they would be utterly incredible. That men 
can become very wicked, and be led to great extremes by 
their selfish and carnal feelings is easily believed. But 
that they can be made such dupes and fools, as to believe 
the legends of popery contrary to their own eyes and 
ears, is marvellous. 

The following decree of the council of Trent, may 
serve as a proper opening to the subject. 

" Let them (i. e. all bishops and others, who have the 
care and charge of teaching) teach also, that the holy 
bodies of the holy martyrs, and others living with Christ, 
whose bodies are living members of Christ, and temples 
of the Holy Ghost, and will be by him, raised to eternal 
life and glorified, are to be venerated by the faithful, 
since by them God bestows many benefits upon men. So 
that they are to be wholly condemned, as the church has 
long before condemned them, and now repeats the sen- 
tence, who affirm that veneration and honor are not due 
to the relics of the saints, or that it is a useless thing that 
the faithful should honor these and other sacred monu- 
ments, and that the memorials of the saints are in vain 
frequented to obtain their aid and assistance." 

By relics we are to understand certain remains of the 
bodies, dress, furniture, clothing or appurtenances of 
persons or saints who have been renowned either before 
or after death. It is difficult to determine the precise 
degree of virtue or divinity which papists ascribe to these 
things, and therefore the consideration belongs to super- 
stition rather than to idolatry. Superstition it certainly 
is, it may be more, but this is the least that can be said. 
The objects themselves called relics are very multifa- 
rious as we shall have occasion to observe. Some 
appear to be regarded with religious veneration. For 
St. Thomas Aquinas says, " If we speak of the very cross 
upon which Christ was crucified, it is to be worshipped 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 357 

with divine worship ; both as it represents Christ, and 
touched the members of his body, and was sprinkled with 
his blood, for these reasons we both speak to the cross 
and pray to it as if it were Christ crucified upon it." 
This of course can be nothing less than idolatry. " But 
other relicts, such as are designed to frighten witches, 
cure the diseases of cattle, kill vermin, and serve other 
necessary purposes, must receive a veneration suited to 
their respective uses." 

The council of Trent, it will be observed, has declared, 
that " by these relics God bestows many benefits upon 
men." This, of course, every papist must believe. If 
the holy fathers are to be credited, many benefits truly 
have been enjoyed by monks, priests and popes, through 
the intervention of relics. The church which can obtain 
a tooth or bone of some famous saint, or any fragment of 
the instrument of his death, must be happy indeed. This 
is a capital device, if it can be forced upon the credulity 
of men, to obtain money. By this many churches glitter, 
and many a treasury is filled with gold and silver. Who 
can wonder that the pope should so pathetically urge the 
faithful to visit Rome at the jubilee, that they might see 
the cradle in which the Saviour was laid, a piece of the 
true cross, the nails used in the crucifixion, &c. By this 
means the pockets of the faithful are emptied, and the 
coffers of the pope filled. Thus, one writer remarks in 
writing of Rome in the nineteenth century, *« They shew 
at Rome the heads of St. Peter and St. Paul encased in 
silver busts, set with jewels, a lock of the virgin Mary's 
hair, a phial of her tears, and a piece of her green petti- 
coat. Also a robe of Christ sprinkled with his blood, 
some drops of his blood in a phial, some of the water 
which flowed from the wound in his side, some of the 
sponge, a large piece of the cross, all the nails used in the 
crucifixion, a piece of the stone of the sepulchre on which 
the angel sat, the identical porphyry pillar on which the 
cock crowed after Peter denied Christ, the rods of Moses 



358 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

and Aaron, and two pieces of the wood of the real ark 
of the covenant. At the extremity of the great nave of 
St. Peter's, behind the altar, stands a sort of throne com- 
posed of precious materials, and supported by four gigan- 
tic pillars. This throne enshrines the real, plain worm- 
eaten, wooden chair, in which St. Peter, prince of the 
apostles, is said to have pontificated, (i. e. acted the pope.) 
When the French were at Rome, they removed its superb 
casket, and discovered the relic. Upon its dusty and 
mouldering surface were traced carvings which bore the 
appearance of letters. The chair was quickly brought 
into a better light, the dust and cobwebs removed, and the 
inscription faithfully copied. The writing is in Arabic 
characters, and is the well known confession of Maho- 
metan faith, viz. — " There is but one God, and Mahomet 
is his prophet." It is supposed that the chair was brought 
from Palestine by the crusaders. But here it has been 
for ages worshipped by the faithful papists as the real 
identical chair in which Peter played the pope. The 
church of St. Lorenzo in Genoa, possessed a most sacred 
relic, viz., a dish declared to be of one entire and per- 
fect emerald, said to be that on which our Lord ate his 
last supper. It was guarded by knights of honor, and 
exposed to view only once a year. The French seized 
it, and most sacrilegiously sent it to the laboratory. In- 
stead of submitting it, with its traditional glory, to the 
council of Trent, they handed it over to the Institute of 
Paris, and chemists, geologists, and philosophers were 
called on to decide the fate of that vessel, which bishops, 
priests, and deacons had pronounced to be too sacred for 
human investigation, or even for human touch. The re- 
sult of the scientific inquisition was, that the emerald dish 
was " a piece of green glass !" In the church of the 
escurial, in Spain, there are eleven thousand relics. A 
few extracts from an account of them, printed in Spain, 
in 1764, will probably amuse the reader. The account 
says, *' We will first begin with the relics of our Saviour, 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 3£9 

who, as he gave himself to us, left us some of his pre- 
cious jewels, which are incomparable and divine, viz : 
" A sacred hair of his most holy head or beard, is preserved 
here, with the utmost veneration, in a precious vase, and 
opportunity can never offer us a better hair to obtain 
glory by. Several pieces of his most holy cross, all ad- 
mirably garnished with gold, and silver, and jewels, 
especially that which is adored on good Friday. Thir- 
teen thorns out of his crown, which pierce the soul with 
their points, when we consider them as in the delicate 
temples of that most lovely king of glory. Some pieces 
of the column to which he was bound, and of the manger 
in which he was born, to die for us, which invite hearts 
to break in pieces through compassion and gratitude. 

" In the next place are the relics of his most holy mo- 
ther, which gladden the hearts of those who seriously 
consider their incomparable value. Three or four pieces 
of the habit which adorned the most pure and virginal 
body, in which was formed that of Jesus Christ our Lord, 
her son, are placed in one case. Also a piece of the 
handkerchief with which she wiped her tears at the foot 
of the cross, when those tears, as precious as the gems of 
Aurora, joining themselves with the rubies of the western 
sun, incorporated themselves with the treasure of our 
redemption." The reader is begged to remember that 
this is popish description, else he may think the writer 
mad. " Besides these, we possess a hair, which may be 
suspected to be that, which, flowing down her neck, 
enamored her spouse." 

" We possess also a thigh bone of the glorious martyr, 
St. Lawrence. It is entire, but the hair is singed ; the 
holes that were made in it, (what, the thigh bone ?) by 
the prongs by which he was turned on the gridiron, are 
yet very visible. One of this saint's feet is also in pos- 
session ; the toes are entire, though contracted ; between 
two of them is a small cinder, which, in the eye of piety, 
shines like a carbuncle. In order to protect the building 



360 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

which contains these precious remains from lightning, 
there are several relics, especially those of St Lawrence, 
its patron, in metal cases, inserted into the balls and 
crosses which are on the tops of the towers." 

The use of the Agnus Dei, as it is called, from the fact 
that the image of the Lamb of God is impressed on the 
face of it, may be inserted here, as nearly related to the 
use of relics. The agnus Dei, is made of clear wax, 
balsam, and chrism, according to the form prescribed in 
the popish ritual. The spiritual efficacy or virtue of it 
is gathered from the prayers that the church make use 
of in the blessing of it, which is " to preserve him who 
carries an agnus Dei, or any particle of it about him. 
from any attempts of his temporal or spiritual enemies : 
from the dangers of fire, of water, of storms and tempests, 
of thunder and lightning, and from sudden and unpro- 
vided death. It puts the devils to flight, succors women 
in child-birth, takes away the stains of past sins, and fur- 
nishes us with new grace for the future, that we may be 
preserved from all adversities and perils, both in life and 
death, through the cross and merits of the Lamb, who 
redeemed and washed us in his blood." The pope con- 
secrates the agnus Deis the first year of his pontificate, 
and afterwards on every seventh year, on Saturday before 
low Sunday, with many solemn ceremonies and devout 
prayers. And yet this popish quackery, this puffing of 
spiritual nostrums and specifics, is believed by men in 
England and America. . 

But we have not done with relics yet. " There is no 
part of popery," says McGavin, " that depends so much 
on downright lying and imposition as this. When the 
prophet Ezekiel saw in a vision the idolatrous Jews 
worshipping every form of creeping things, and abomi- 
nable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, he 
saw little more than what is practiced every day in po- 
pish countries, where the wretched and deluded people 
pay their devotion to rotten rags, to the decayed bones of 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 361 

human carcasses, and to all manner of nastiness, the very 
mention of which would fill with loathing the mind of eve- 
ry human being, that is not brutified by an abominable 
superstition. The least offensive are the arms, fingers, 
legs, and toes of certain saints ; some of whom must have 
had as many limbs as a centipede ; for in Flanders, 
Spain, and France, there are no less than eight arms of 
St. Matthew, which would of course produce forty fin- 
gers. The author of one catalogue, in my possession, 
assures his readers that himself had seen " three arms of 
St. Luke, and he could not tell how many St. Thomas a 
Becket had." In the church of the lateran at Rome, 
they have the entire table on which our Lord ate the last 
supper with his disciples ; and yet there are said to be 
pieces of it in both Spain and Flanders. At Rome, as 
already mentioned, they show the heads of St. Peter and 
St. Paul ; and yet, in possession of the Augustines at 
Bilboa, there is a great piece of the skull of Peter, and 
another piece of that of Paul in the keeping of the Fran- 
ciscans of the same city. The Augustine friars at Burgos 
are said to have the virgin Mary's chamber pot, which 
they esteem a very precious relic. In St. Peter's they 
have the cross of the good thief, somewhat worm-eaten ; 
Judas' lantern, a little scorched ; the dice the soldiers 
played with, when they cast lots for the garment of 
Christ ; the tail of Balaam's ass, St. Joseph's axe, and 
saw, and hammer, and a few nails he had not driven, 
(mem. St. Joseph was a carpenter,) St. Anthony's mill- 
stone, on which he sailed to Muscovy. Pieces of the 
true cross are in many different places, and in sufficient 
numbers to supply a town with fuel for a winter. Part 
of the manna which fell in the wilderness, some blos- 
soms of Aaron's rod ; an arm of St. Simeon, poorly 
kept ; the image of the blessed virgin, drawn by St. Luke, 
all the features visible ; one of her combs, and twelve 
combs of the twelve apostles, very little used ; some re- 
lics of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ; the arm and part of 
31 



362 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

the body of Lazarus, poorly kept, and smells ; a part of 
the body of St. Mark, a part of his gospel, in his own 
hand writing, almost legible ; a finger and arm of St. 
Ann, the mother of the blessed virgin ; a piece of the vir- 
gin's veil, as good as new ; the staff delivered by our 
Lord to St Patrick, with which he drove all the snakes 
and toads out of Ireland ; some of Joseph's breath, which 
an angel inclosed in a phial as he was hewing wood vio- 
lently, which was so long adored in France, and since 
brought to Venice, and from Venice to Rome ; the head 
of St. Dennis, which he carried two miles under his arm, 
after it was cut off, even from Montmatre to St. Dennis ; 
a piece of the rope with which Judas hanged himself: 
large parcels of the blessed virgin's hair — some of her ""*) 
milk — some butter, and a cheese made of it, which never J 
decays." These precious relics are all certified solemnly 
to be what they are said to be, and popish priests will 
maintain their authenticity with more confidence than 
they maintain any article of revelation. And the pope 
himself is not ashamed to lend his authority to sanction 
this palpable falsehood and absurdity. The great object 
of the popish priesthood is to excite the superstitious re- 
verence of their followers for these relics, and by that 
means to extort their money. Still, in any emergency 
where impossibility attends the supposition that these re- 
lics should be what they profess to be, the papists have a 
resort. They then say, it is not essential whether the 
bones which are worshipped as the relics of any particu- 
lar saint, should actually have belonged to that saint, or 
to any saint, provided the worshipper really believes the 
story, and worships them with an intention to honor the 
saint in view. They may be the bones of horses or 
dogs, and yet, if he intends to honor a particular saint by 
cherishing these bones, the act is accepted for its inten- 
tion. Under the sanction of this principle the manufac- 
tory of relics has become a great business with skilful 
papists ; for they can thus untomb whole catacombs of 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 363 

bones, and, by an easy process, turn them all into sacred 
relics of more value than gold or gems. Of this business 
we have the following account of a traveller, entitled, 
4i Observations on a journey to Naples." The author 
was himself at one time a good papist, and therefore knew 
whereof he affirmed. 

" These catacombs, in the sense they take them in, 
are subterraneous places, where believers assembled 
themselves in the times of persecution, and where they 
buried the corpses of their martyrs ; but they also indif- 
ferently buried there the bodies of all Christians ; so that 
as those places served them for temples or places to meet 
in, they served them also as church-yards, or places to 
bury their dead. The popes having, in these last ages, 
taken into mature consideration the great gains they 
reaped from the bones of their saints, had recourse to 
these places as to inexhaustible mines, and indifferently 
seized all the bones they met with there. Yea, their 
avarice lashed out to that degree, that, either not know- 
ing, or not being able to distinguish the true catacombs, 
they have gone to search for bones in the common sew- 
ers or subterranean vaults, which were the sinks to carry 
off the filth of the city, and where, in ancient times, they 
used to fling the bodies of malefactors after their execu- 
tion. The popes not being able to distinguish the one 
from the other, and to spare themselves trouble, by the 
power of God, which they professed themselves to have, 
changed them all into saints by word of mouth. The 
heathen also had caves and vaults, where they caused 
themselves to be interred with their whole families ; and 
the greater part of all these bones are now upon the al- 
tars of papists, under the name of saints, taken out of the 
catacombs. And, forasmuch as the popes are ignorant 
of their names, they baptize them anew, and give them 
a name as best pleases them. This is the cause of so 
many contests between the priests and the monks, who 
all preterit} to be the sole possessors of the primitive saint 



364 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

of this or that name. These contests must be determined 
at Rome, and by virtue of money, which excites the popes 
to a greater zeal to send as many as they can of these 
saints into all parts, which will furnish them matter of 
trial so gainful to them ; yea, we may affirm that there 
are almost as many trials at Rome about relics, as about 
beneficial matters. The use which the priests and monks 
of the church of Rome make of these principles is this, 
that there are no bones whatsoever, no, not the bones of 
an ass, or a horse, but they may make relics of them. 
They need only break a piece of them, and tell you that 
it is a relic of one of the eleven thousand virgins that 
suffered martyrdom at Collen ; or else one of the soldiers 
of the Theban legion, who were all cut in pieces at the 
passage of the Alps, for refusing to sacrifice to Mars the 
traveller. They may show you the rib of a sucking pig, 
and tell you it is a relic of one of the little innocents who 
were massacred at our Saviour's birth ; or, lastly, tell you 
it is the bone of a saint taken out of the catacombs. 

" I was once in the abbey of the Trinity at Vendome, 
in France, when they exposed their treasury of relics. 
They showed us, among other things, a jaw bone, which 
the monks told us was that of St. Magdalene. A very 
able physician being present at the time, was ready to 
maintain to their face, and would forfeit his head if he 
did not prove to them by the texture, scaling, and large- 
ness of the bone, that it never belonged to a human body, 
but it was a piece of the jaw bone of some beast or other. 
But the fathers were so far from desiring him to disabuse 
them in the case, that they presently popped up another 
relic, to put him by his displeasing discourse. This lat- 
ter relic was*what they call the holy tear, which is so 
famous in that country. The tradition they pretend to 
have concerning it runs thus : That when our Saviour 
wept over Lazarus, an angel gathered up his tears in a 
small crystal phial, and that having preserved them a 
long time, he gave them to St. Mary Magdalene, who 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 365 

was then doing penance at a place which is called La 
Sainte Baume, near to Marseilles ; that in process of time 
this relic was carried to Constantinople, where it con- 
tinued during the reign of the Greek emperor ; and 
being afterwards fallen, together with all the riches of 
that great city, into the hands of the Turks, a Turkish 
emperor presented it to Godfrey, earl of Vendome, who 
deposited it in this abbey. It seems by this tradition it 
took many turns before it came thither : and above all, 
that which I consider is, that it passed through the hands 
of infidels and enemies to the name of Christ. But for 
all this, the Roman Catholics, and above all, the monks 
of that abbey, have not the least doubt or scruple con- 
cerning it, but bestow upon it the worship of latria, even 
the same they give to Jesus Christ himself. We viewed 
this crystal very attentively, holding it up against the 
light, and afterwards took a view of it at the light of a 
wax taper, but we could discover nothing of what they 
pleased to tell us. They have recourse to this relic in 
all maladies of the eyes, and upon this account it brings 
a vast income to these fathers. 

" If all the false relics which at present are adored in 
the church of Rome, had voices and could speak, what 
strange stories should we hear? Some would say, we 
are the bones of heathens or of malefactors ; others, of 
horses, asses, dogs, &c. And yet I question, after all 
this, if they would quit them. They would say, it is like 
that these voices are only the illusions and artifices of the 
devil, who is envious at the glory which is bestowed 
upon the saints ; and that their church, being infallible, 
having proposed these relics to believers to be worship- 
ped, she can neither err in matter of right, or matter of 
fact." " Many English Roman Catholics cannot endure 
to hear that they bestow adoration upon things that are so 
very vile and contemptible, but it is only by reason of 
their ignorance of what passeth in those countries where 
popery is rampant, for there may be seen things yet far 
31* 



366 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

more ridiculous ; such as a lantern of Judas, a shoe of 
St. Joseph, hair, parings of nails, and all manner of ex- 
crements of their saints and saintesses. The treasures 
of their churches are filled top full with this kind of pre- 
cious relics, and protestant travellers may make them- 
selves very merry in Italy if they will give themselves the 
leisure to go and see the treasures in their churches, and 
more especially in the country where the Capuchins and 
other mendicants take care to have great store of them. 
At least they may be sure to find there those implements 
the papists call Agnus Dei, and almost in every parish; 
one of St. Margaret's girdles." The Agni Dei, as has 
been remarked, are pieces of white wax, on which is im- 
pressed the figure of a Lamb carrying a cross. They 
are made to represent what John said of Christ, " Behold 
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the 
world." " They, (the papists,) believe, therefore, con- 
formably to this, that these agni Dei do forgive sins, at 
least those that are not very heinous ones indeed ; and 
they pay almost as great respect to them as they do to the 
host itself. They carry them in procession, they kneel 
before them, they pray to them. Secular persons may 
not touch them with their fingers ; they must be priests, 
or monks, or nuns, to whom the bishop gives this permis- 
sion and privilege. The nuns make it a great part of 
their employment to furnish enclosures of silk for them, 
very neatly wrought with a needle into all manner of 
figures, and then they bestow them upon such seculars as 
present them highest for the sanctification of their souls. 
And besides the remission of sins, these agni Dei are 
over and above very good to preserve a Roman Catholic 
from all the evil and accidents of life." 

The relics of popery are not only worshipped but 
they are supposed to possess peculiar potency to cure 
diseases, to eject evil spirits and to afford protection from 
harm. The superstitious reverence with which many 
regard them on this account is equalled only by the 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 367 

shameless impositions of the priests by whom it is en- 
couraged. The following narrative illustrates this re- 
mark. " Prince Christopher, of the family of the dukes 
of Radzecil, having gone a pilgrimage to Rome to kiss his 
holiness' toe, received as a reward of his piety, a box of 
very precious relics. These, on his return home, be- 
came the consolation of the afflicted, and the terror of 
the devil. Even the most stubborn of those evil spirits, 
over whom ordinary relics possessed no influence, ac- 
knowledged their virtue in bellowings of submission. 

" Scarcely had a few months illustrated their power, 
when some monks with humble entreaty, requested the 
use of them for the benefit of a man into whom the devil 
had entered. As the foul fiend stuck to his new habita- 
tion with the utmost stubbornness, and disregarded their 
most cogent conjurations, the prince readily complied ;. 
and no sooner were they applied to the body of the de- 
moniac, than the devil was forced to decamp. The spec- 
tators exclaimed, ' a miracle ! a miracle !' and the prince 
lifted up his heart to God in pious gratitude for having 
bestowed upon him such a holy and powerful treasure. 
Some time after when the prince was relating to his 
friends this wonderful deliverance, and extolling the vir- 
tues of his relics, one gentleman, who had been in his 
retinue at Rome, discovered an uncommon incredulity. 
Being posed to account for rejecting such plain evidence 
as attended this transaction, he told that, in returning 
from Rome, he had unluckily lost the box of relics en- 
trusted to his care. To screen himself from resentment, 
he had provided another exactly similar and filled it 
with bones and trinkets, and this was the identical box 
which had wrought such wonders. 

" Next morning, the prince sent for the monks, and 
asked if they knew any other demoniac who needed his 
relics. A person of this description was easily found ; 
for the devil in popish countries is remarkable for his 
spirit of opposition, and is generally to be found nestling 



368 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

in the neighborhood of relics. When the monks pro- 
duced the demoniac, the prince caused him to be exorci- 
sed in his presence, but without effect. The devil kept 
his birth with all the obstinacy of a mule, and would 
neither be moved with threats nor coaxing. The prince 
then ordered the monks to withdraw, and delivered the 
said demoniac to some Tartars whom he kept about his 
stable, with orders to give the devil his due. At first 
the devil thought to terrify them with his horrible ges- 
tures and grimaces. But these Tartars used their whips 
with such faithfulness as the devil had never before wit- 
nessed. Having never dreamed of such a method of ex- 
orcism, he was taken on his weak side ; and therefore, 
without the use of either relics, hard words, or holy 
water, he began to cry for quarter, and confessed that the 
monks had hired him to personate a character which he 
was ill qualified to sustain. 

" The prince again requested the presence of the 
monks, and produced to them the man, who threw him- 
self at his feet, and acknowledged the imposture. The 
monks at first declared this to be only an artifice of the 
devil, who employed the organs of this man to propagate 
such a falsehood, to the discredit of religion. But when 
the prince told them how necessary it was to exorcise 
the father of lies out of them also, they began to repent, 
and acknowledged that they had been guilty of this im- 
position, with the view to stop the progress of Lutheran- 
ism, and save the souls of all good papists in the coun- 
try. He then dismissed them, at the same time telling 
them that such pious frauds were only diabolical inven- 
tions, and that he would no longer trust his salvation to 
men who used such means to support their religion. He 
accordingly began to turn his attention to the scriptures ; 
and notwithstanding their obscurity he understood as 
much of their meaning as showed him the absurdity of 
popish principles, and induced him to make an open pro- 
fession of the reformed religion. 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 369 

" The reader may perhaps be curious to know what 
the pope had put into this wonderful box. But the loss 
of it has for ever deprived us of this important piece of 
information. For his satisfaction however I can give 
him an abstract of the catalogue of images and relics 
which formerly belonged to the cathedral of Glasgow. 
At the reformation, there were treasured up there, an 
image of our Saviour in gold, the twelve apostles in sil- 
ver, and two silver crosses, enriched with precious stones, 
and small portions of the wood of the true cross. There 
were likewise five silver caskets containing the follow- 
ing articles for adoration. 1. Some hair of the blessed vir- 
gin. 2. A piece of the hairy garment worn by St. Ken- 
tigern, a part of the scourge with which he flogged 
himself, and a part of the scourge used by St. Thomas a 
Becket. 3. A piece of St. Bartholomew's skin. 4. A 
bone of St. Ninian. 5. A piece of the girdle worn by 
the virgin Mary. In a crystal was found a bone of St. 
Magdalene. There were also four crystal phials, con- 
taining a part of the virgin Mary's milk, a piece of the 
manger in which Christ was laid, some bones of St. Eu- 
gene and St. Blaise, and a part of the tomb of St. Catha- 
rine. There were six hides containing very precious 
relics, such as a piece of St. Martin's cloak, part of the 
bodies of St. Kentigern and St. Thomas a Becket. Two 
linen bags were filled with saints' bones, and a vast as- 
semblage of small relics were lodged in a wooden chest. 

" When the reformation rendered relics and images 
useless in Scotland, the archbishop of Glasgow retired to 
France carrying along with him this precious treasure. 
Though I cannot at present give the reader a full view 
of the uses of relics in religion, there is one, which it 
would be doing injustice to the subject to omit. Like 
oral tradition they have been found of vast importance in 
explaining obscure passages of scripture. Of this many 
edifying illustrations might be produced, but one will 
serve as a specimen of the whole. Five devout pilgrims, 



370 HISTORY OF POPER\. 

happening to meet on their return from Rome loaded 
with these excellent helps to religion, each began to extol 
his acquisitions. After much conversation highly cha- 
racteristic of their faithful simplicity, they produced their 
riches, and lo ! to their amazement, each one was hon- 
ored with a foot of the very ass upon which Christ rode 
to Jerusalem. Now the reader may recollect that the 
scriptures do not even tell us that this ass had a foot, but 
here is decisive proof of the existence of five, and if five 
were collected by five pilgrims only, let the reader con- 
ceive how many must be travelling through other parts 
of the church, to assist the simple faithful in their exer- 
cises of devotion. 

" When papists maintain the usefulness of relics, as a 
means of devotion, it is merely a cloak of the priests for 
the most selfish purposes. Wherever these appendages 
of superstition have abounded, they have always been 
connected with swarms of monks, remarkable only for 
their vices, and for impoverishing the bigotted and igno- 
rant. Mistaken views introduced them at first into the 
church, and afterwards they have been used to render 
mankind subservient to popish priests. The advice 
given to pope Julius III. by the bishops assembled at 
Bononia, discovers the light in which the crafty ecclesi- 
astics of popery view the relics of the saints. * When any 
bishop,' said they, ' sets himself to officiate in any divine 
service, with pomp and solemnity, he ought to have many 
ornaments to distinguish him from ordinary priests ; 
such as the bones and relics of some dead man. Do you 
command him to hang a whole leg, arm, or head of some 
saint about his neck, by a good thick cord ; for that will 
contribute very much to increase the religious astonish- 
ment of all that behold it.' The truth is, that these cere- 
monies were all invented and continued by popes." — 
Among the medicinal relics on which popery greatly 
depends, it is said a pope's shirt is regarded as very effi- 
cacious. It is taken off and without washing, for that 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 371 

Would extract its virtue, it is cut in small pieces, and 
distributed to the faithful as a special favor. These por- 
tions are again cut fine, and strewed into food, as a spe- 
cific in certain cases, or a general preventive. Whether 
this dose is called an essence, or a tincture of popery, we 
are not informed ; but surely it is evidence of strong con- 
fidence in its virtue. 

Nearly allied to this subject is another of the supersti- 
tions of popery, and that relates to pious frauds and 

PRETENDED MIRACLES. 

The doctrine, that to lie or deceive for the glory of 
God, and the promotion of religion, is right, early found 
its way, from heathen sources, into the Christian church. 
And when the popish apostacy occurred, this was one 
of the corruptions of the church and of the gospel, which 
was found well suited to the purposes of popery, and was 
therefore adopted and cherished by her. Various sto- 
ries and legends of saints and their works have been in- 
vented and propagated, which have no foundation in 
truth, and are no better than the fables of the heathen. 
But a more serious form of this fraud is the promulgation 
of books, ascribed falsely to ancient saints or fathers, and 
bearing their names, but which were produced for some 
occasion, and these names falsely appended to give them 
currency and weight. Some examples of this kind have 
been mentioned in the preceding historical sketch. But 
these forgeries were numerous, and constitute no incon- 
siderable share of popish authority. 

Another form of these frauds was the statement of 
wonders and miracles that never occurred, or an attempt 
at imposition, in making use of false appearances to de- 
ceive the credulous. Of the former class is the fable of 
St. Winnock, that his mill, when he let go of it, to say 
his prayers, would turn of itself; and that when an in- 
quisitive monk looked in through a crevice, to gratify his 
curiosity, he was struck blind for his presumption. The 
biographer of St. Pardulphus makes a child's cradle to 



372 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

rock day after day without hands, while if touched, it 
stopped and remained immoveable. In the life of St. 
Guthlock, of Croyland, it is stated, that while the saint 
was praying at his vigils, a vast number of devils entered 
his cell, rising out of the ground and issuing through cre- 
vices, of direful aspect, terrible in form, with huge heads, 
long necks, pale faces, sickly countenances, squalid 
beards, bristly ears, wrinkled foreheads, malicious eyes, 
filthy mouths, horses' teeth, fire-emitting throats, lantern 
jaws, broad lips, terrific voices, singed hair, high cheek 
bones, prominent breasts, scaly thighs, knotty knees, 
crooked legs, swollen ankles, inverted feet, and open 
mouths, hoarse and clamorous. These bound the saint 
fast, dragged him through hedges and briars, lifted him 
up from the earth, and carried him to the mouth of hell, 
where he saw all the torments of the damned. But 
while they were threatening to confine him there, St. 
Bartholomew appeared in glory to him, the devils were 
affrighted, and he was conducted back to his cell by his 
celestial deliverer." All this, it is needless to say, is 
barefaced falsehood. It is invented for effect. All this 
show of raw head and bloody bones is got up to set off 
St. Bartholomew, and the efficacy of his aid, and to in- 
duce poor deluded, affrighted bigots to worship him. 

Again. " St. Anselm records, that a famous robber en- 
tered one morning into the cottage of a poor widow, with 
an intention of robbing her; but judging her unworthy 
of his rapine, he began to accost her in a familiar and 
merry strain : ' Have you breakfasted yet, my good wo- 
man ? 5 ' I breakfast, sir,' said she, ' God forbid that I 
should so violate the vow I have made, to fast every Sa- 
turday of the year.' 'Every Saturday, and why that?' 
replied he. ' Because,' answered the widow, ' I have 
heard from a preacher, very famous in doctrine, and still 
more so in the sanctity of his life, that whosoever fasts 
on Saturday, in honor of our lady, cannot die without 
confession.' The robber at these words felt compunc- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 373 

tion, fell down on his knees, and promised and swore to 
the queen of angels to fast every Saturday too ; which 
promise he kept inviolably ever after. But as he still 
continued his robberies, he was one day surprised by some 
travellers, who with one stroke of a sword, severed his 
head from his body. His executioners, thinking they 
had done his business for him effectually, withdrew from 
him a few steps ; when lo, the head of him that was 
killed fell a crying, ! Confession, masters, I beg that at 
least I may have confession.' After they had a little re- 
covered from the astonishment and panic, which such a 
prodigy caused, they ran to the next village, to advertise 
the curate, who immediately came, accompanied by a 
great number of his parishioners, desirous of beholding 
the miracle ; and having joined the head to the body, he 
gave him confession as he desired. This being done, 
the penitent having thanked him for his good office, said 
to him with a voice so distinct and high as to be easily 
heard by all present, ' Masters, I never did any good 
thing in all my life time, but fast every Saturday in honor 
of the mother of God. In the very instant I received the 
deadly blow, a frightful troop of devils, surrounded me, 
for to seize my soul ; but the blessed virgin coming to 
my aid, she drove these forthwith far from me by her 
divine presence, and would not suffer my soul to leave 
my body, till I should be sufficiently contrite and make 
confession of my sins. 7 He spoke thus, and having 
entreated the attendants to pray for him, he passed from 
this life into one more happy and glorious." 

The object of this fable is sufficiently manifest, for its 
cloak is thin ; it serves to magnify the idol Mary, and to 
encourage the superstitious fast of every Saturday, in 
the view of all who believe it. But it is all a lie, a bare- 
faced falsehood made for the occasion. Many miracu- 
lous adventures are related of saint Xavier, who is called 
the (popish) apostle of the Indies. It is related of this 
saint, that being on a voyage at sea, with a holy crucifix 
32 



374 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

which he valued above all things in the world, he had 
the misfortune to lose it overboard, and was quite incon- 
solable. After landing at the country whither he went, 
and walking on the sea-shore, he saw his favorite image 
coming towards him, elevated above the surface of the 
water. Gazing with astonishment and delight, and going 
to the water's edge, " it was most reverently laid at his feet 
by a crab, who had borne it in his claws through the ocean, 
to the very spot, where the saint was miraculously 
brought to receive it." Who, that is not besotted with 
superstition can believe such a story as this ? And yet, 
under the influence of blind superstition, the effects of 
such a fable are wonderful. But a more scandalous form 
of pious frauds under pretence of miracles, is to endeavor 
to impose upon people by false appearances. Lying 
wonders have been practised by papists in every age. 
In the history of the lives of the protestant reformers in 
Scotland, as cited by McGavin, is the following example. 
" About the year 1549, a poor friendless boy, of whose 
birth his parents had probably been ashamed, tended the 
sheep belonging to the nuns of Sienna, about a quarter of 
a mile south of Edinburgh. It was one of his childish 
amusements to turn up the white of his eyes, and in 
doing it, he succeeded so well, as to be able, at his plea- 
sure, to appear entirely blind. The nuns observed him 
in his amusement, and spoke of it to some priests and 
friars who were their visitors, It immediately occurred 
to them, that if proper care were taken of this young 
person, he might, in course of time, become the fit sub- 
ject of a miracle. The innocent child was secreted from 
public view, it has been said, seven or eight years, and 
mostly in one of the cells, or in some retired apartment 
of the convent. At the end of that number of years, his 
stature and features were so much altered, that he could 
not easily be recollected by the few persons who formerly 
had known him. He was now judged to be of a proper 
age to be sent forth as a blind mendicant, and to receive 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 375 

instructions how he should behave. A person was hired 
to conduct him, who believed him to have been born 
blind, and to have been hitherto supported chiefly by 
charitable contributions from the ladies of Sienna. This 
simple young man, who scarcely knew any other people 
in the world, than those under whose tuition he had been 
held, readily promised to obey their injunctions. They 
bound him by a solemn but rash vow to affect blindness, 
and beg alms, till they should advertise him to the con- 
trary. He kept his promise, and for a considerable 
space of time was led through the country, receiving 
such alms as benevolent people were disposed to give 
him. At last the period arrived when those priests and 
friars who were in the secret of his not being really 
blind, thought it expedient that" he should be relieved 
from his hard condition. 

At the east end of the village of Musselburgh, in Mid- 
Lothian, was a celebrated chapel, dedicated to the honor 
of the virgin Mary. Its proper name was Loretta. 
There was also a chapel of the same name in Perth, and 
many credulous people in the Lothians, and at Perth, as 
well as the people of Loretta, in Italy, believed that their 
chapel contained within it the small brick built house, in 
which the blessed mother of our Lord dwelt when at 
Nazareth; and that it had been conveyed and upheld 
entire from its original seat by the ministration of angels. 
It was in the well-frequented chapel at Musselburgh, 
and where miracles were most commonly expected to be 
seen, that the pupil of the nuns was to receive his sight. 
Public intimation of the miracle to be performed, was 
given in Edinburgh, and in the neighboring parts, and 
on the day appointed, a prodigious number of people were 
assembled. They found that there was a stage erected 
on the outside of the chapel. Having waited a little 
while, they beheld, led forward upon this stage, the 
seemingly blind young man, whom many of them knew, 
and whose blindness they had probably often pitied. He 



376 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

was attended by priests and friars, and, no doubt also by 
Thomas the hermit, a famous worker of miracles, if he 
was then alive. After some time spent in prayers and 
ceremonies, his eyes, to the satisfaction of the multitude 
appeared to be perfectly restored. The young man, who 
had long been restricted from employing honest means 
for his subsistence, now sincerely rejoiced. He returned 
thanks to the priests and friars ; and when he came down 
from the stage was caressed and congratulated by the 
people, some of whom gave him money. A protestant 
gentleman present, detected the cheat, and took the young 
man into his service." 

The above is a fair specimen of popish miracles, and 
shews that, however fair maybe their pretences and 
appearances, no confidence can be placed in their state- 
ments. Their miracles are mere tricks and cheats, 
which prove that they utterly disregard the truth and 
stick at nothing which will accomplish their purposes. 
But there is still more serious ground for the charge, of 
fraud and falsehood in the popish system, and that is 
found in the precepts, maxims, and doctrines of popery. 
Lying and perjury are not only practised by papists, 
but they are allowed and encouraged if not enjoined. 
There are indeed three general principles of popery, 
which sanction the commission of any crime when 
occasion requires. The first is, that the allegiance of 
papists to the nope is paramount to every other, and must 
be maintained at the expense of every other. The second 
is their obligation at all times, and by any means, to do 
that which shall be for the interests of popery. The 
third is, the ability of the pope and the priests in the 
view of their followers, for they are to their votaries in 
the place of God, to dispense with any obligation, to 
absolve from any sin, or to sanction any act, however 
contrary to religion, justice or truth. These principles, 
as all will see, make the end justify the means, and make 
the nature of virtue to depend on the will of the pope and 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 377 

the priests. By a single nod, the pope, as papists believe, 
can change the essential attributes of right and wrong. 
On this ground the teachers of popery have ventured to 
promulgate maxims in morals, which would have 
shocked many of the ancient heathen. The doctrines of 
the Jesuits, for example, are replete with the most abhor- 
rent dissimulation and falsehoods. The vilest crime if 
performed with an intention to benefit the church and 
injure heretics, is according to them, changed into a 
virtue. — That no faith is to be kept with heretics, we 
have already seen, is a favorite maxim with them, and 
one which has been followed by every species of fraud 
and treachery. A few examples of morality from Jesu- 
istical writers are subjoined. 

Sanchez says, " An oath obliges not beyond the in- 
tention of him who takes it, because he that hath no 
intention to swear, cannot be obliged in conscience to any- 
thing at all." 

Escobar. «' By means of a bull, a person may change 
the vow he hath made not to sin." 

Escobar inquires, " Is a person who makes a vow not 
to commit fornication, upon pain of some pilgrimage, and 
afterwards not remembering his vow, goes on in the sin, 
obliged to accomplish his vow ?" To this Sanchez 
answers. " He is not obliged, because his blameless 
forgetfulness is equivalent to ignorance." 

Escobar. " A person addresseth himself to a confes- 
sor to make general confession of sin to him. He is not 
obliged to declare all the mortal sins he hath committed, 
for although he lie, it is of small concern to the judgment 
the confessor is to make of him." 

Sanchez. " A person who hath promised marriage to 
another whether it were made sincerely or only in ap- 
pearance, is discharged by any reason from holding his 
promise. Being called before a judge he may swear 
that he hath not made the promise, meaning that he hath 
not made it so as to be obliged to observe it. Because he 

32* 



378 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

may persuade himself in conscience that he is not obli- 
ged." 

Sanchez. "St. Francis lawfully used the equivoca- 
tion which is attributed to him, when being- interrogated 
by the officers of justice, if a malefactor whom they 
sought after had gone that way, he answered, putting his 
hands in the sleeves of his gown, he is not gone this 
way, meaning where he had his hands. He might also 
have answered, he hath not passed this way, intending 
the particular place where his foot or his hand was." 

Sanchez. " A man may swear, understanding secret- 
ly, that he hath done it as far as he is obliged to speak 
clearly and to expound himself, or by forming some other 
thoughts which may make his answer true. Because he 
is not obliged to answer the thoughts and intentions 
which he hath who examines him, but to that which he 
ought to have ; his answer is true, following the inten- 
tion and the thought which he ought to have." 

Layman. " He who by inveterate custom, a sort of 
imperious necessity is transported to do evil, and to speak 
perjury, sins not at all, because a man cannot sin without 
rational knowledge and deliberation." 

Bauny. u He who maintains an heretical proposition, 
without believing it, or who is a communicant among pro- 
testants without having his heart there, but out of pure 
derision or to comply with the times, or to accomplish his 
designs ; ought not to be esteemed a protestant, because 
his understanding is not infected with error. 

Taberna. "Is a witness bound to declare the truth 
before a legitimate judge ? No, if his deposition will 
injure himself, his family, or property ; or if he be a 
priest, for a priest cannot be forced to testify before a se- 
cular judge. He who is not bound to state truth before 
swearing is not bound by his oath." 

Layman. " It is not sufficient for an oath, that we use 
the formal words, if we have not the intention and will 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 379 

Piliucius. M A priest who hath received a large sum of 
money to say masses, may hire other priests to sing them 
as cheap as he can, and retain the surplus to himself." 

Escobar inquires, " Is it lawful to suborn any person 
to swear a false thing? " To which popish writers an- 
swer in the affirmative." 

Filiucius thus replies ; " Any one upon a lawful cause, 
may request a man to swear, though he will be forsworn, 
and this thing is not evil in itself, to require an oath of a 
person whom we know will forswear himself." 

The above rule, it will be observed, sanctions false 
swearing to any conceivable extent. Because, as every 
person estimates his own cause good and lawful, so if he 
may suborn witnesses to swear to what he judges a good 
cause, then every man in his own cause or any other in 
which he takes an interest and forms a judgment, may 
procure all the false witnesses he can influence. This 
principle it will be seen saps the foundation of civil go- 
vernment, and makes a court of justice a mere mart of 
perjury and corruption. But these are maxims openly 
taught by the great masters of popish morals. This 
principle they unblushingly avow. What then must we 
expect to find, if we look behind the curtain and observe 
the secret instructions and rules by which this communi- 
ty is governed 1 

The Secreta Monita of the Jesuits, or their secret rules 
and instructions, have been already mentioned, as hav- 
ing providentially corne abroad to the knowledge of the 
world, and as having disclosed the duplicity of this or- 
der of papists. A few extracts from this book may per- 
haps form a proper conclusion to the present topic. The 
second chapter of this book has the following caption. 
Chap. II. " In what manner the society must deport, 
that they may work themselves into, and after that pre- 
serve a familiarity with princes, noblemen, and persons 
of the greatest distinction." 1. Princes and persons of 
distinction every where must by all means be so man- 



380 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

aged, that we may have their ear ; and that will secure 
their hearts, by which way of proceeding, all persons 
will become our creatures, and no one will dare to give 
the society the least disquiet or opposition. 2. That ec- 
clesiastical person gain a great footing in the favor of 
princes and noblemen, by winking at their vices, and 
putting a favorable construction on whatever they do 
amiss ; experience evinces, and this we may observe in 
their contracting of marriages with their near relation, 
and kindred or the like. It must be our business to en- 
courage such, whose inclination lies this way, by leading 
them up in hopes that through our assistance they may 
easily obtain a dispensation from the pope ; and no doubt 
he will readily grant it, if proper reasons be urged, par- 
allel cases produced, and opinions quoted which sanc- 
tion such actions, when the common good of mankind, 
and the greater advancement of God's glory, (which are 
the only end and design of the society,) are pretended 
to be the sole motives of them. 3. The same must be 
observed, when the prince happens to engage in any 
enterprize, which is not equally approved by all his nobi- 
lity, for in such cases he must be edged on and excited : 
whilst they on the other hand, must be dissuaded from 
opposing him, and advised to acquiesce in all his propo- 
sals. But this must be done only in generals, always 
a voding particulars., lest on the ill success of the affair, the 
miscarriage be thrown on the society. And should ever 
the action be called in question, care must be taken to have 
instructions ready, plainly forbidding it ; and these also 
must be backed by the authority of some seignior mem- 
bers, who, being wholly ignorant of the matter, must at- 
test upon oath, that such groundless insinuations are a 
malicious and base imputation on the society. 4. It will 
also very much further us in gaining the favor of princes, if 
our members artfully insinuate themselves, by the inte- 
rest of others, into honorable embassies to foreign courts 
in their behalf, but especially to the pope and great mon- 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 381 

archs ; for by such opportunities, they will be in a capa- 
city both to recommend themselves and their society. 
To this end therefore, let none but thorough zealots for 
our interests, and persons well versed in the schemes and 
institutions of the society, be ever pitched upon for such 
purposes. 5. Above all, one care must be taken to curry 
favor with the minions and domestics of princes and 
noblemen ; whom, by small presents, and many offices of 
piety, we must so far bias, as by means of them, to get 
a faithful intelligence of the bent of their masters' humors 
and inclinations, thus will the society be better qualified 
to chime in with all their tempers. 6. How much the 
society has been benefitted from their engagements in 
marriage treaties, the houses of Austria, Bourbon, Po- 
land, and other kingdoms, are experimental evidences. 
Wherefore let such matches be with prudence picked out, 
whose parents are our friends, and firmly attached to our 
interests. 7. Princesses and ladies of quality are easily 
to be gained by the influence of the women of their bed- 
chamber, for which reason, we must by all means pay 
a particular respect to these, for hereby there will be no 
secrets in the family, but what we shall have fully dis- 
closed to us. 8. In directing the consciences of great 
men, it must be observed, that our confessors are to fol- 
low the opinion of those who allow the greater latitude, 
in opposition to that of other religious orders ; that their 
penitents being allured by the prospect of such freedom, 
may readily relinquish them and depend wholly upon 
our direction and counsel." 

Chapter IV. (for room cannot be afforded for all these 
secret directions) relates to the chief things to be recom- 
mended to preachers and confessors of noblemen. 1. 
Let the members of our society direct princes and great 
men in such a manner, that they may seem to have noth- 
ing else in view but the promotion of God's glory ; and 
advise them to no other austerity of conscience, but what 
they themselves are willing to comply with ; for their 



382 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

aim must not, immediately, but by degrees and insensi- 
bly, be directed towards political and secular dominion. 
2. We must therefore often inculcate into them, that 
honors and preferments in the state should always be con- 
ferred according to the rules of justice ; that God is very 
much offended at princes when they in any wise dero- 
gate from this principle, and are hurried away by the 
impulse of their passions. In the next place, our mem- 
bers must with gravity protest, and in a solemn manner 
affirm, that the administration of public affairs is what 
they with reluctance interfere in, and that the duty of 
their office obliges them often to speak such truths as they 
would otherwise omit. When this point is once gained, 
care must be taken to lay before them the several virtues 
persons should be furnished with, who are to be admitted 
to public employs ; not forgetting cautiously to recom- 
mend to them such as are sincere friends to our order. 
But this must be done in such a manner as not to come 
immediately from us, unless the prince enjoin it, for it 
may be effected with far better grace by such as are their 
favorites and familiars. 3. Wherefore, let the confessors 
and preachers belonging to our order be informed by our 
friends of persons proper for every office, and above all, 
of such as are our benefactors ; whose names let them 
always carefully keep by them, that when proper oppor- 
tunities occur, they may be palmed upon princes by the 
dexterity of our members or their agents. 6. Imme- 
diately upon the death of any person in post, let them 
take timely care to get some friend of our society pre- 
ferred in his room ; but this must be cloaked with such 
cunning and management, as to avoid giving the least 
suspicion of our intending to usurp the prince's authori- 
ty ; for this reason we ourselves must not appear in it, 
but make a handle of the artifice of some faithful friends 
for effecting our designs, whose power may screen them 
from the envy which would otherwise fall heavier upon 
the society." 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 383 

Chapters VI. and VII. relate to the proper method of 
inducing rich widows not to marry again, and to be libe- 
ral to the society of Jesuits. " 1. For the management 
of this affair, let such members only be chosen as are 
advanced in age, of a lively complexion, and agreeable 
conversation ; let these frequently visit such widows, and 
the minute they begin to show any affection towards our 
order, then is the time to lay before them the merits and 
good works of the society ; if they seem kindly to give 
ear to this, and begin to visit our churches, we must by 
all means take care to provide them confessors, by whom 
they may be well admonished, especially to a constant 
perseverance in a state of widowhood, and this by enu- 
merating and praising the advantages and felicity of a 
single life ; and let them pawn their faiths and themselves 
too, as a security that a firm continuance in such a pious 
resolution will infallibly purchase an eternal merit, and 
prove a most effectual means of escaping the otherwise 
certain pains of purgatory. 4. Care must be taken to 
remove such servants, particularly, as do not keep a good 
understanding with the society ; but let this be done by 
little and little ; and when we have managed so as to work 
them out, let such be recommended as already are, or 
would willingly become our creatures ; then shall we 
dive into every secret, and have a finger in all that is done 
in the family. 5. The confessor must manage his matters 
so, that the widow may have such faith in him, as not to 
do the least thing without his advice, and his only ; which 
he may occasionally insinuate to be the only basis of her 
spiritual edification. 6. She must be advised to the fre- 
quent use and celebration of the sacraments, but espe- 
cially that of penance, becanse in that she freely makes 
a discovery of her most secret thoughts, and every tempta- 
tion. 8. Discourses must be made to her concerning the 
advantages of a state of widowhood, the inconveniences 
of wedlock, especially when it is repeated, and the dan- 
gers to which mankind expose themselves to by it ; but 



384 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

above all, such as more particularly affect her. 9. It 
will be proper, every now and then, cunningly to propose 
to her some match; bat such an one, be sure, as you 
know she has an aversion to ; and if it be thought she 
has a kindness to any one, let his vices and failings be 
represented to her in a proper light, that she may abhor 
the thoughts of altering her condition with any person 
whatsoever. 10. When, therefore, it is manifest that she 
is well disposed to continue a widow, it will then be time 
to recommend to her a spiritual life, but not a recluse one, 
the inconveniences of which must be magnified to her, 
but such an one as Paula's or Eustochius' ; and let the 
confessor, having as soon as possible prevailed with her 
to make a vow of chastity, for two or three years at least, 
take due care to oppose all tendencies to a second mar- 
riage ; and then all conversation with men and diversions, 
even with her near relations and kinsfolks, must be for- 
bid her, under pretence of entering into a stricter com- 
munion with God. As for the ecclesiastics, who either 
visit the widow or receive visits from her, if they all can- 
not be worked out, yet let none be admitted but what are 
either recommended by some of our society, or are de- 
pendants upon it. When we have thus far gained our 
point, the widow must be, by little and little, excited to 
the performance of good works, especially those of cha- 
rity, which, however, she must by no means be suffered 
to do, without the direction of her ghostly father, since 
it is of the last importance to her soul that her talent be 
laid out with a prospect of obtaining spiritual interest ; 
and since charity, ill applied, often proves the cause and 
incitement to sins, which efface the merit and reward that 
might otherwise attend it." 

The seventh chapter teaches " how such widows are to 
be secured, and in what maimer their effects are to be dis- 
posed of." " They must not be suffered to let a week 
pass in which they do not, of their own accord, lay some- 
what apart, out of their abundance, for the honor of 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 385 

Christ, the blessed virgin, or their patron saint ; and let 
them dispose of it in relief of the poor, or in beautifying 
of churches, till they are entirely stripped of their super- 
fluous stores and unnecessary riches. If they have made 
a vow of chastity, let them, according to our custom, re- 
new it twice a year ; and let the day wherein this is done 
be set apart for innocent recreations with the members of 
our society. Let them be frequently visited and enter- 
tained, in an agreeable manner, with spiritual stories, 
and also diverted with pleasant discourses, according to 
their particular humors and inclinations. They must 
not be treated with too much severity in confession, lest 
we make them morose and ill-tempered, unless their favor 
be so far engaged by others that there is danger of not 
regaining it ; and in this case great discretion is to be 
used in forming a judgment of the natural inconstancy 
of women. 

" Let women that are young, and descended from rich 
and noble parents, be placed with those widows, that they 
may by degrees become subject to our directions, and ac- 
customed to our way of living. That the widow may 
dispose of what she has in favor of the society, set as a 
pattern to her the perfect state of holy men who have re- 
nounced the world, and forsaken their parents and all 
they had, and have, with great resignation and cheerful- 
ness of mind, devoted themselves to the service of God. 
Let several instances of widows be brought, who thus in 
a short time became saints, in hopes of being canonized 
if they continue such to the end. And let them be ap- 
prised that our society will not fail to use their interest 
with the court of Rome for the obtaining of such a favor. 
If a widow does not in her life time make over her whole 
estate to the society, whenever opportunity offers, but 
especially when she is seized with sickness and in dan- 
ger of death, let some take care to represent to her the 
poverty of the greater number of our colleges, whereof 
many, just erected, have hardly as yet any foundation. 
33 



386 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

Engage her by winning behaviour and inducing argu- 
ments to such a liberality as will lay a certain foundation 
for her eternal happiness." 

The eighth chapter relates to the manner in which the 
children of widows are to be treated, that they may em- 
brace a religious or devoted life. 

" Let the mothers be instructed to use their children 
harshly, even from their cradles, by plying them with 
Teproofs and frequent chastisements. And when their 
daughters are near grown up to discretion, let them be 
especially denied the common dress and ornaments of 
their sex, at all times offering up prayers to God that he 
would inspire them with a desire of entering into a reli- 
gious order, and promising them with very plentiful por- 
tions, on condition they will become nuns. Let them 
lay before them the many inconveniences attending every 
one in a married state, and those in particular which they 
themselves have found by woful experience ; often la- 
menting the great misfortune of their younger years, in 
not having preferred a single life. And lastly, let them 
persist in using them in this manner, that their daughters 
may think of a religious state, being tired of leading such 
a life with their mothers. 

" Let our members converse familiarly with their sons, 
and if they seem fit for our turn, introduce them occa- 
sionally into the colleges, and let every thing be shown 
with the best face, to invite them to enter themselves into 
the order ; as the gardens, vineyards, country seats, and 
villas, where those of our society pass an agreeable life. 
Let them be informed of our travels into several parts of 
the world, of our familiarity with princes, and whatever 
else may be agreeable to youth. Let them see the out- 
ward neatness of our refectories and chambers, the agree- 
able intercourse we have one with another, the easiness 
of our rules, which yet have the promise of the glory of 
God ; and lastly, the pre-eminence of our order above 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 387 

ail others, not forgetting, amidst our discourses of piety, 
to entertain them also with pleasing, diverting stories." 

These secret rules the Jesuits will of course deny, as 
it is previously agreed among themselves that they will 
do. But there is one source of evidence which they can 
neither gainsay nor resist. And this is their practice. 
They have long practiced according to the rules of their 
order as given above, and thus given most conclusive 
evidence that these rules are from the established regu- 
lations of their order. And surely Satan has here trans- 
formed himself into an angel of light. It is not uncom- 
mon to find men that will deceive, to promote their own 
interests. But to find deception and imposition reduced 
to a regular system, and inculcated as a trade, is very 
rare, even in this degenerate world. And if any are dis- 
posed to be the dupes of this villany, they must act for 
themselves, but let them do it with their eyes open, let 
them see what is before them, and duly appreciate the 
servitude into which they are about to plunge. 

A most remarkable example of the pious fraud of the 
Jesuits occurred in Scotland, after the reformation had 
been carried a considerable length, in the minority of 
James VI. The duke of Lenox, having acquired a great 
ascendency over the mind of the young king, came near 
to overturning the reformation. The people becoming 
alarmed by the arrival of several Jesuits, and by the 
open revolt of some from the protestant faith, the duke to 
effect his purpose, was obliged to have recourse to Jesuis- 
tical wisdom. After a conference with some of the mi- 
nisters, he declared himself a convert to the protestant 
faith, and openly renounced the religion of papists. But 
letters were still intercepted which served to increase the 
public alarm, and to render the proceeding of the duke 
suspicious ; and especially as these letters contained a 
dispensation from the pope to the papists, " to profess the 
protestant tenets for a time, provided they preserved an 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 

inward attachment to the ancient faith, and embraced 
every opportunity of advancing it in secret^ 

Another item in the account of popish superstition is 
their use of excommunication. As they use it, excom- 
munication is a kind of retribution which they deal out 
to all that are not in their interests, whether man, woman, 
beast, or reptile. It is a fulmination of wrath against all 
their supposed enemies, an assumed vengeance, as if they 
were in the place of God, and were intrusted with the 
power of final decision. 

" On holy Thursday (as it is called) the papists annu- 
ally excommunicate and give over to the devil all pro- 
testants throughout the world, who at Rome, and among 
papists are known by the name of heretics. The pope is 
then clothed in red, and stands upon a high throne, the 
better to be seen by the people. The sub-deacons, who 
stand at the left hand of his holiness, read the bull, and 
in the mean time the candles are lighted, and each of 
them takes one in his hand. When the excommunica- 
tion is pronounced, the pope and the cardinals put out 
their candles and throw them among the crowd, after 
which the black cloth that covered the pulpit is taken 
away. But the church of Rome does not confine her 
excommunications or censures entirely to men and wo- 
men, for even animals and reptiles must be subject in 
their turn. When it happens that much of the fruits of 
the earth are damaged by rats, mice, locusts, or catterpil- 
lars, then the church censures become necessary. The 
priest is obliged to transmit to the bishop an account of 
the damage done by these creatures, and then the bishop 
orders the priest to ascend to an eminence in his parish, 
where he is to put on his surplice, and sprinkle himself 
and his clerks with holy water in form of a cross. He 
then commands the rats, mice, &c, to depart from the 
place immediately, otherwise, they are to be " excommu- 
nicated and accursed," and have the lot of poor heretics. 
In the year 1738, Provence, in France, was much in-. 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 389 

fested with locusts. Application was made to the pope, 
who sent his bull to the bishop, ordering them all to be 
excommunicated. The bishop obeyed the order, but the 
locusts refused to comply, which gave no small uneasi- 
ness to the farmers ; it surprized them much to rind that 
the locusts refused to comply with the apostolical order, 
but one more sagacious than the rest, observes that the 
bishop was a Jansenist. An account of this was sent to 
the pope, who, from the whole of his conduct, seems not 
to have been a fool, for he sent an injunction to the bishop, 
who was orthodox in the faith, (a Jesuit probably,) to let 
the locusts alone till the beginning of November, and 
then to go out with his priests and excommunicate 
them. Here the pope acted a very wise part, for locusts 
seldom survive the first week in November, whereas 
had he excommunicated them sooner, the ceremony 
would not have had its proper effect. This however was 
considered as a miracle, because it served to point out 
that the Jansenists are not to expect the divine blessing 
upon their works ; whereas all those who are orthodox, 
are certain God will hear them whenever they call upon 
him, and that he will in a most signal manner grant their 
requests." 

Another particular of popish superstition is, the ap- 
plication OF BAPTISM TO THE BELLS USED IN THEIR 

churches. The following is an account of this cere- 
mony from a gentleman who was an eye witness. 

" It was my fortune last year to visit Canada, where I 
had an opportunity to witness some of the delusions of po- 
pery. While in Montreal in the month of November, 
last year, I learned that two new bells were about to be 
placed in the steeple of the principal church, and that 
previous to their being suspended, it was necessary that 
they should be baptized. The baptism of a bell, a piece 
of inanimate matter, was to me a novelty. I had often 
seen the ordinance administered both by those who be- 
lieve in infant baptism, and by those who do not, but such 
33* 



390 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

a profanation of that sacred rite being no longer heard 
of in my native country, I never expected to have had 
an opportunity of witnessing it. ' Surely,' thought I, 
' these priests are either themselves most pitiable dupes 
of the deceiver, or they are most barefaced impostors. 
Common sense seems by them to be laughed at ; and 
they appear to put their ingenuity to the stretch to discover 
the way of most effectually insulting the understandings 
of the ignorant Canadians, and of most openly degrading 
and ridiculing the institutions of the kingdom of Christ.' 
As it happened to be on a week day, I resolved to be a 
spectator. Had it been on the Lord's day, I should not 
have felt myself justifiable in so appropriating holy time. 
About two o'clock, the principal bell, ( for there are se- 
veral in the steeple,) began to ring, and I repaired to the 
church. The people were assembling in considerable 
numbers, and from the eagerness with which they scram- 
bled over the pews to get into a good situation for see- 
ing, I suspect the greater number present even of the 
papists were more influenced by curiosity than devotion ; 
one proof among many that the popish religion consists 
chiefly of ceremonial mummery, incapable of instructing 
the understanding or touching the heart, and is not inten- 
ded to regulate the affections, or influence the conduct 
of those who profess it. The two bells were suspended 
from a temporary erection of wood in the centre of the 
church, in the vacant space round them, a table and 
chairs were placed for the principal performers. The 
candles on the altar at the upper end of the church were 
lighted to be in readiness for the exhibition, and in a 
short time a door on the left of the altar opened, and 
forth came the procession. At the head of it were two 
boys dressed in white carrying two immense candles, 
each of which, with the candlestick might probably 
measure seven or eight feet. After them came the 
priests, some in gorgeous silken robes, some in white, 
others in black, some flaring in bright colors and 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 391 

gold ; other boys also in white followed, one of whom 
bore a silver vase with water, and another a small vessel 
of oil. Some of the priests in black took their seats near 
the altar, the rest came forward to the bells. The large 
candles were placed on the table, and beside them the 
vase and vessel of oil. One of the priests, an old man 
dressed in white, then got up into the pulpit at the side 
of the church to address the people. But he seemed not 
a little offended with the want of decorum that appeared 
in the assembly, for there was a good deal of pushing and 
squeezing, and most were standing on the seats, that they 
might see over the heads of those before them. He told 
them in a pretty long harangue, in the French language, 
that this was a religious ceremony, and must be attended 
to with solemnity and decorum. He talked to them of 
the pious feelings which ought to be produced in their 
minds by seeing bells baptized, and the veneration and 
awe which it was to be expected they would feel. The 
people, however, were far from being so profoundly 
devout as he wished them, and a little noise still inter- 
rupting his reverence, he clapped his hands, and very 
angrily told them, if they did not behave better he would 
turn them all out. Descending from the pulpit, he put 
on a robe of various bright colors, and proceeded to the 
ceremonial. After chanting a hymn, he read Latin 
prayers over the water in the basin, and thus I suppose 
consecrated it. Another of the priests then carried the 
water to the bells, and the first dipped a pretty large brush 
in the water, and with it made the form of a cross upon 
the bell, pronouncing words which I could not hear, but 
which could be nothing else than the solemn form used 
on such occasions, ' In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiri- 
tus SanctV That is to say, ' In the name of the Father, 
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.' A third priest, 
with another brush, completed his work, making cross 
after cross, and then carefully brushing the interme- 
diate spaces till the bell was wetted all over. The se- 



392 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

cond bell was crossed and re-crossed in the same manner, 
and immediately large clean towels were produced, and 
the bells were carefully wiped dry. Returning to the 
table, singing and reading of prayers succeeded, and the 
oil was next blessed and made holy ; the principal priest 
then dipped his finger in the oil and made the sign of the 
cross in one place on each bell, carefully wiping the place 
with cotton wool ; he then repeated it on a great many 
places on the bells, both inside and outside, carefully 
wiping them as before with cotton. During the singing 
which followed, one of the boys went out and brought in 
a silver censer with red coals in it. A small box of in- 
cense stood on the table, out of which the priest took a 
spoonful and threw it on the coals, reading prayers over 
it as before ; the incense smoked up and perfumed the 
air ; then, after waving the censor with great solemnity 
three times, he carried it first to one bell and then to the 
other, holding it under them till they were filled with the 
smoke. 

" An important part of the ceremony yet remained. 
The bells had to get their names, for without that step 
they could not be Christian bells ; and as the baptismal 
vows could not be taken by themselves, the holy infallible 
church thought it necessary that sponsers should do it 
for them. Accordingly, a godfather and godmother to each 
bell were in waiting — two reverend old couples, who were 
sitting with the priests beside the tables ; these were now 
brought forward and stationed, the one gentleman and 
lady at the one bell, and the other couple at the other. 
The principal priest then put some questions to the first 
old gentleman and lady, which they answered, but I was 
not near enough to hear what they vowed on behalf of 
the bell. The bell then received its name, and the priest 
taking the clapper, gave three strokes against the side ; 
the old godfather then took hold and did the same ; and 
last of all, the old lady, the godmother. The priest, 
leaving them, went through the same ceremony with the 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 393 

couple at the other bell, and thus the two bells were bap- 
tized, got their names, and were made to speak. The 
name of the one, as I afterwards learned, was Pierre 
Marguerite, with some addition which has escaped me. 
I do not know that I heard the name of the other. All 
was not yet over. The godfathers and godmothers, to 
crown the whole, produced their presents to their adopted 
children, and certainly nothing could be more suitable 
than clothes to the orphans ; a large piece of linen was 
given to one of the priests, who, with much solemnity, 
wound it several times round the bell ; next, a large piece 
of crimson silk, which was put over the linen ; and last 
of all, fringes and white silk ribbons, which served to tie 
all on. The other couple were not to be outdone in ge- 
nerosity, and their linen, silk, and ribbons, were also pro- 
duced, and the second bell duly and decorously clothed. 
It was even somewhat gayer than its neighbor, for the 
silk bestowed upon it was very richly figured. Thus 
ended the sacrilegious rite of baptizing church bells. 
The boys elevated the large candles, and the procession 
of priests departed as it had entered. 

" In a day or two after, the bells were suspended in the 
steeple, fully qualified to ring souls out of purgatory, and 
perform all the other important duties of popish bells. 
Let not your readers start at the idea of bells effecting the 
release of the souls of the departed from the fangs of the 
tormentor. I believe, indeed, that this is far beyond the 
ability of our heretical presbyterian bells, but nothing is 
too hard for a bell that has received papistical baptism. 
While I remained at Montreal, all-saints' day came round, 
which is one in which the bells have their hands full of 
work. Prayers are then offered up for the souls of all 
departed saints, high mass is performed for their benefit, 
and the bells are rung long and loud to effect their re- 
lease. Passing the door of the church in the evening, I 
stepped in to see what was going forward. The services 
of the day were over, and there was no light in the 



394 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

church, except from the glimmering of a small oil lamp, 
which is kept continually burning before the altar. In 
different places were several of the poor ignorant Cana- 
dians on their knees, praying for the souls of their dead 
relations, crossing themselves with great fervor ; taking 
care, as they went out and came in, not to omit a daubing 
with holy water. In the middle passage a platform was 
erected, painted black, adorned with skulls and crossed 
bones, and on the top of it lay a coffin. This was em- 
blematical of the dead for whom they were praying, and 
was intended to increase the fervor and efficacy of their 
prayers. The bells were kept ringing almost the whole 
day, for according to the time they were rung, and the 
number of masses and prayers that were said, a propor- 
tionate number of the dead were to be released from pur- 
gatory. That afternoon the bells were allowed to be 
rung by all who chose, and the poor creatures pulled 
away without intermission, vainly believing that the 
harder and the longer they rang, the sooner they would 
get their friends emancipated from Satan's house of cor- 
rection. Next day, and for several days after, I saw a 
painted board suspended on a church door, inscribed, 
; Indulgence pleniere pour les mortes, 1 i. e. ' Plenary 
indulgence for the dead ;' and I was informed that who- 
ever, during these days, confessed to a priest, should have 
forty days remission, after his death, of the pains of pur- 
gatory. These are some of the doctrines of devils which 
are taught by the (self-styled) holy Roman Catholic 
church. And this is. a faithful account of some of the 
rites and ceremonies of which I was an eye and an ear 
witness." 

An English traveller wrote the following letter con- 
cerning the same ceremony at Naples in 1780: — "A 
noble lord was godfather to the bell, and a lady of qua- 
lity was godmother. Most of the prayers said on the 
occasions ended with the following words, ' That thou 
wouldst be pleased to rinse, purify, sanctify, and conse* 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 395 

crate these bells with thy heavenly benediction. 5 The 
following were the words of consecration : — * Let the 
sign be consecrated and sanctified in the name of the Fa- 
ther, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' The 
bishop then turning to the people, said, • The bell's name 
is Mary.' He had previously demanded of the godfather 
and godmother what name they would have put upon the 
bell, and the lady gave it this name." 

Another particular in the list of popish superstitions is 
the use of Incense and Holy Water. 

" The very first thing" says Middleton, " that a stran- 
ger must necessarily take notice of, as soon as he enters 
their churches, is the use of incense or perfumes in their 
religious offices. The first step which he takes within the 
door will be sure to make him sensible of it, by the of- 
fence which he will immediately receive from the smell, as 
well as smoke of this incense, with which the whole church 
continues filled for some time after every solemn service. 
A custom received directly from paganism, and which 
presently called to my mind the old descriptions of the 
heathen temples and altars, which are seldom if ever 
mentioned by the ancients without the epithet perfumed 
or incensed. In some of their principal churches, where 
you have before you in one view a great number of al- 
tars, and all of them smoking at once with clouds of in- 
cense, how natural is it to suppose one's self transported 
into the temple of some heathen deity, or that of the Pa- 
phian, Venus, described by Virgil. In the old basreliefs, 
or pieces of sculpture where any heathen sacrifice is rep- 
resented, we never fail to observe a boy in a sacred habit, 
which was always white, attending on the priest, with a 
little chest or box in his hands, in which this incense is 
kept for the use of the altar. And in the same manner 
still, in the popish church, there is always a boy in sur- 
plice, waiting on the priest at the altar, with the sacred 
utensils, and among the rest a thuribwlum, or vessel of 
incense, which the priest, with many ridiculous motions 



396 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

and crossings, waves several times, as it is smoking, 
around and over the altar, in different parts of the ser- 
vice." 

" The next thing," says the same author, " that will of 
course strike one's imagination, is their use of holy water. 
For nobody goes in or out of a church, but is either 
sprinkled by the priest, who attends for that purpose, on 
solemn days, or else serves himself with it from a ves- 
sel, usually of marble, placed just at the door, not unlike 
one of our baptismal fonts. Now this ceremony is so 
notoriously and directly transmitted to them from pagan- 
ism, that their own writers make not the least scruple to 
own it. The Jesuit La Cerda, in his notes on a passage 
of Virgil, where this practice is mentioned, says, " hence 
is derived the custom of holy church, to provide purify- 
ing or holy water at the entrance of their churches." 

" Aquaminarium, or Amula," says the learned Mont 
Faucon, " was a vase of holy water placed by the hea- 
then at the entrance of their temples, to sprinkle them- 
selves with. The same vessel was by the Greeks called 
Perrir ranterion, two of which, the one of gold, the other 
of silver, were given by Crcessus to the temple of Apol- 
lo, at Delphi. And the custom of sprinkling themselves 
was so necessary a part of their religious services, that 
the method of excommunication seems to have been, by 
prohibiting the offenders the approach and use of the 
holy water pot. The very composition of this holy wa- 
ter was the same among the heathen that it now is among 
the papists, being nothing more than a mixture of salt 
with common water. And the form of the sprinkling 
brush is the same with that the priests now make use of." 

" I do not at present recollect whether the ancients 
went so far, as to apply the use of the holy water to the 
purifying or blessing of their horses, asses, and other 
cattle, or whether this be an improvement of modern 
Rome, which has dedicated a yearly festival particularly 
to this service, called, in their vulgar language, the bene- 



HISTORY OF POPfeRy. 397 

diction of hoTses, which is always celebrated with much 
solemnity in the month of January, when all the inhabi- 
tants of the city and neighborhood send up their horses, 
asses, &c. to the convent of St. Anthony, near St. Mary's 
the great, where a priest in surplice, at the church door 
sprinkles with a brush, all the animals singly, as they 
are presented to him, and receives from each owner, a 
gratuity proportionable to his zeal and ability. Among 
the rest, I had my own horses blessed at the expense of 
about eighteen pence our money, as well to satisfy my 
own curiosity, as to humour the coachman ; who was 
persuaded, as the common people generally are, that 
some mischance would befal them within the year, if 
they wanted the benefit of this benediction. Allowing 
the popish priests to have taken the hint from some old 
custom of paganism, yet this however must be granted 
them, that they alone were capable of cultivating so coarse 
and barren a piece of superstition into a revenue sufficient 
for the maintenance of forty or fifty idle monks." 

The next and the last item in the account of popish 
superstition, which will be brought to view, is the claim 
of Infallibility. 

The claim of infallibility by finite and erring creatures 
is the height of arrogance, and stands opposed to the 
whole history of human conduct. Indeed, so manifold 
are the evidences of ignorance, prejudice, and liability to 
error in the greatest and best of mere men — so nume- 
rous and unquestionable are the facts which illustrate 
the frailty of the human character, that the claim to in- 
fallibility seems to be little else than aYarce. It is deli- 
berate trifling, a burlesque on man. The ascription of 
infallibility, to any man or any collection of men is pre- 
sumption, and the belief of the existence of such infalli- 
bility is the grossest superstition. These views and con- 
clusions lie on the very face of the subject, and need no 
evidence or argument for their support. The claim, the 
admission, the ascription are all self-evident folly; as 
34 



398 HISTORY OF POPERY, 

much as to say that a creature' is omniscient, or omni* 
potent. But this claim has been put forth by popery in 
the most decisive manner, and it has been admitted, and 
is now believed in by papists. They all admit and claim 
that such infallibility has its seat somewhere in their 
church. They are not agreed, it is true, what is the pre- 
cise location of this prerogative. Some contend that it 
resides in the popes, some, in general councils, and others 
that it is found in pope and general council united. But 
sure they are, there is infallibility somewhere within their 
precincts. And there is an advantage in not determining 
precisely its locality. For if its residence were distinct- 
ly pointed out, it would afford the wicked heretics an op- 
portunity to show it is not there, and thus the faithful 
would be staggered. But by shifting the ground all evi- 
dence may be evaded. If, for example, the errors of the 
popes be made to appear beyond dispute, then the pliant 
papist has nothing to do but to say, infallibility is not here- 
out in councils. Bring up the errors of councils, and 
then infallibility has another refuge. This is the course 
when infallibility is assailed or required to give an ac- 
count of itself. But when it is wanted for the purposes 
of popery, it is then forth coming on all hands. Popes, 
church, councils, and tradition, all are right, past the pos- 
sibility or suspicion of error. If any one attacks this 
imposing prerogative, he finds himself at once in the 
situation of the Trojan hero, who drew his sword in 
bloodless contest with ghosts and shades. The piercing 
steel left no permanent wound but was no sooner with- 
drawn than all Was healed. Such is the infallibility of 
popery, though it frown horribly on opposition, threaten- 
ing to crush arguments, testimony, and facts, at a single 
blow, yet no sooner is a pass made at it in good earnest, 
than it vanishes into thin air, and cannot be found. 

But infallibility is the claim of popery, and the belief 
of its adherents. 

The popish catechism says, " the church cannot err in 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 399 

faith or morals." And all that the disciple of popery- 
need to say or know in regard to faith is expressed as fol- 
lows. " I believe in all things according as the holy 
catholic church believes. 5 ' He must swear obedience to 
the pope, the successor of St. Peter, the prince of apostles 
and vicar of Jesus Christ, and professes, and undoubtedly 
receives all things delivered, defined and declared by the 
sacred canons and general councils, and particularly by 
tbe holy council of Trent, and condemns, rejects and ana- 
thematizes all things contrary thereto, and all heresies 
whatsoever condemned and anathematized by the church." 

This doctrine virtually includes the infallibility of the 
pope, and is so understood for all practical purposes, 
since, according to the eouncil of Florence, the pope is 
the head of the whole church, and the father and teacher 
of all Christians ; and to him, in St. Peter, was delega- 
ted by our Lord Jesus Christ, full power to feed, rule and 
govern the universal church. It is also implied that ge- 
neral councils, representing the universal church, are 
also infallible. There are however some difficulties at- 
tending this subject from the unquestionable facts that 
councils and popes have opposed and condemned each 
other, as has been slated in the preceding historical 
sketch. 

It is proposed now to give the testimony of some popish 
writers concerning this article of papal superstition. — " It 
is maintained in the decretals that the pope can be judged 
by none; that his judgment, whether respecting faith, 
manners, or discipline, ought to be preferred to all things ; 
(not even excepting the bible it seems,) that nothing is 
true except what he approves, and every thing which he 
condemns is false." " We believe nothing," says Lewis 
Copsensis, "unless we believe with a divine faith, that the 
pope is the successor of St. Peter, and infallible." Says 
Baronius, " It depends upon the pope to ratify decrees, 
and to alter them when ratified." Says Bellarmine, "the 
pope is absolutely above the catholic church, and above 



400 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

a general council ; so that he has no judge above him on 
earth." The same author also teaches, "that the pope 
when he instructs the whole church in things concerning 
faith, cannot possibly err ; and whether he be heretic 
himself, or not, he can by no means define any thing 
heretical to be believed by the whole church." Another 
writer on this subject says. " The very doubt whether a 
council be greater than the pope seems to be absurd, be- 
cause it would involve a contradiction, namely, that the 
supreme pontiff is not supreme." " He. cannot err, he 
cannot be deceived," says another, " it must be conceived 
concerning him, that he knows all things." " O Rome." 
exclaims Cornelius Mussus, bishop of Bitonto, " to 
whom shall we go for divine counsels, unless to those per- 
sons, to whose trust the dispensation of divine mysteries 
has been committed ? we are therefore to hear him, who 
is to us instead of God, in all things that concern God, as 
God himself. For my part, I confess, in things that belong 
to the mysteries of faith, I had rather believe one pope, 
than a thousand Augustines, or Jeromes ; not 10 speak 
of Richards, Scotuses, and Williamses ; for I believe and 
know that the pope cannot err in matters of faith, because 
the authority and right of determining whatever relates 
to faith resides in the pope." The assembly of cardinals, 
prelates, and clergy of France, 1625, declare, "that his 
holiness is above the reach of calumny, and his faith out 
of the reach of error." In the thesis of the Jesuits in the 
college of Claremont, it was maintained, " that Christ 
hath so committed the government of his church to the 
popes, that he hath conferred on them the same infalli- 
bility which he had himself, as often as they speak ex ca- 
thedra ; and therefore there is in the church of Rome an 
infallible judge of controversies of faith, even without a 
general council, whether in matters of right or fact." 
" Three or four councils have ascribed infallibility to the 
pope, particularly that of Florence, under pope Eugene, 
in opposition to the council of Basil. The last council 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 401 



of Lateran, and that of Trent, may also be considered as 
acknowledging this superstition. At the time of the lat- 
ter council, however, the pope declared that he would 
rather shed his blood than part with his rights, which had 
been established upon the doctrine of the church, and the 
blood of martyrs ; and the legates were charged not to 
allow the council to make any decision on the subject of 
infallibility, and they accordingly avowed that they 
would rather lose their lives, than to allow a thing so 
certain to be called in question. The bishop of Grenada 
maintained before the council, that the pope was God 
on earth, and therefore not subject to a council." 

Ravaillac, the assassin of Henry IV of France was a 
papist of the genuine stamp. He believed it lawful for 
any man to kill the king, because he was too favorable 
to the heretics, and because he had been told that the 
king designed to make war on the pope. And said he 
to his judges, " to make war against the pope is to make 
war against God ; seeing the pope is God, and God is 
the pope." And, Bellarmine, who is of high authority 
among papists, adds ; " It may be affirmed in good sense, 
that Christ gave to Peter power of making sin to be no 
sin, and that which is no sin to be sin. If the pope 
should command vice and prohibit virtue, the church 
would be bound to believe vice to be good and virtue to 
be evil, unless she should sin against conscience." The 
popish'canons teach » that the pope hath a heavenly pow^ 
er, and therefore changes the nature of things, applying 
the essential attributes of one to the other ; that he can 
make something of nothing, and that in those things he 
wills, his will is instead of reason, nor is their any one 
that can say to him, ' what doest thou V for he can dis- 
pense with law; he can make justice unjustice, by 
changing and correcting laws ; and in a word that he 
hath a plenitude of power." Thus the pope actually ex- 
alts himself above all that is called God. It is quite 
usual for papists to address the pope as a God, and m, 
34* 



402 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

stead of finding fault with any of them for this impiety, 
he receives their homage as the sweetest incense. An- 
gelus Politianus thus addresses Alexander VI. " We 
rejoice to see you raised above all human things, and ex- 
alted even to divinity itself, seeing there is nothing ex- 
cept God, which is not put under you." Clement VII. 
with his cardinals of Avignon, writing to king Charles 
VI, says, " As there is but one God, in the heavens, so 
there cannot nor ought to be of right, but one God on 
earth." " It is evident, " says the canon law, "that the 
pope, who was called God by Constantine, can neither 
be bound nor loosed by any secular power, for it is mani- 
fest that God cannot be -judged by men." A little before 
the time of Luther, the question was agitated in the 
schools of popery, whether the pope did not participate 
in both natures, the human and divine, with Jesus 
Christ. Among the arguments by which this divine 
prerogative of the pope is attempted to be supported, the 
following may serve as a specimen, it is founded on the 
passage of scripture, Luke, 22. 31, 32. " And the Lord 
said, ' Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have 
you that he may sift you as wheat ; but I have prayed 
for thee that thy faith fail not, and when thou art con- 
verted strengthen thy brethren. 5 ;: It would nearly puz- 
zle a Jesuit to find popish infallibility in this passage. 
But let us hear the exposition which papists give to this 
passage. " Lastly to put them (the disciples) out of all 
doubt, he calleth Peter twice by name, and telling him 
the devil's desire to sift and try them all to the uttermost, 
as he did that night, he saith that he had especially pray- 
ed for him, to this end that his faith should never fail, 
and that he, being once converted, should after that for 
ever confirm, establish, or uphold the rest in their faith. 
Which is to say that Peter is the man, whom he would 
make superior over them and the whole church. Where- 
by we may learn, that it was thought fit in the providence 
of God, that he who should be the head of the church 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 403 

should have a special privilege by Christ's prayer and 
promise, never to fail in faith, and that none other, apos- 
tle, bishop, or priest may challenge any such singular o r 
special prerogative, either of his office or person, other- 
wise than by joining with Peter, and by holding of him." 
So much of the argument as it respects Peter. But the 
papists consider that whatever is proved of Peter is proved 
of the pope as his successor. So then this caution of 
Christ to Peter concerning h is fall, which pointed him 
out as an object of special prayer is thus gravely brought 
as a proof his infallibility. And what is still more, all 
this logic is finally brought to bear upon the pope of 
Rome to prove that he cannot err ! Concerning this ar- 
gument a late writer observes : " They must be doctors 
of more than ordinary acuteness, who can find in the 
words addressed to that apostle, in reference to his fall, 
a proof that he was infallible ; and it must require still 
more acuteness to find in these words a proof of the 
infallibility of the pope, who, they say, sits in Peter's 
chair." 

Several links in this chain of argument seem to be 
weak or wanting. The fact that Peter was made prince 
of the apostles is not so apparent as might be wished, and 
that he was appointed supreme head of the church is still 
more questionable, and last of all and least evident is it 
that he fixed his seat at Rome, and made the popes hi? 
successors in office and prerogative. But the papists 
have one proof, which to them is incontrovertible, that 
Peter was head of the church, and fixed his seat at Rome : 
" They say a principal design of his coming to Rome 
was to oppose Simon Magus, who by his juggling tricks 
had procured the favor of both emperor and people. At 
their first interview, the magician engaged to ascend into 
the air in the presence of him and the whole city. With 
the help of the devil he accordingly performed his pro- 
mise. But Peter invoking the name of Jesus, the devil 
was so terrified, that he left Simon Magus to shift for 



404 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

himself. And the consequence was, that his body, 
having a much greater predilection for earth than hea- 
ven, made such haste downwards as to break both his 
legs. Were any person to question the truth of this 
narration at Rome, the impression of the apostle's knees 
in the very stone upon which he kneeled on this occasion 
would be shown him,' and another stone still tinged with 
the blood of the magician." 

On such slender ground as this is founded the high 
prerogative of popish infallibility. But though in itself 
this claim is highly ridiculous and absurd, yet, in its 
relations to popery in all ages, it is of great consequence. 
For while papists make this pretence, popery can never 
be expected to change its essential features. And by 
making this claim, papists of the present age assume the 
responsibility of all that popery has ever been or done. 
If popery has infallibility attached to it, then it must 
always have been right, and those who say this shew 
that the spirit of genuine popery is in them, however its 
outward exercise may be restrained or modified by cir- 
cumstances. 

But it will be asked probably by some, Have the scrip- 
tures said nothing about this great and deadly defection 
in the visible church 1 Can it be that such an apostacy 
should occur, and continue for such a long time, even 
more than twelve centuries, and no prophetic account of 
it be found in the sacred volume 1 This is a very im- 
portant inquiry, and will be the subject of a brief consi- 
deration in the following section. 



SECTION X. 

PROPHETIC VIEWS OF POPERY FROM THE SCRIPTURES. 

It cannot be denied that the scriptures predict a general 
state of corruption in the visible church, and a great 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 405 

apostacy as its consequence. And from what we have 
now before us concerning the nature, and operations, and 
effects of popery, every one will be able to judge for 
himself whether this is indeed the great apostacy of the 
last days. 

In the prophetic dream of Nebuchadnezzar we have a 
very clear delineation of an apostate, persecuting power, 
which would arise in the last days of the Christian 
church. It is agreed on all hands, that the image which 
the king of Babylon saw in vision denoted four universal 
empires which were to exist on earth. And it is equally 
a matter of general agreement, that the Babylonish em- 
pire is denoted by the golden head of the image ; the 
Medo-Persian empire, by the silver arms and breast ; the 
Grecian empire, by the brazen belly and thighs ; and the 
Roman empire, by the legs, which were of iron, and the 
feet and toes, which were of iron and clay. The last 
great empire here symbolized was to be at first very 
strong, like iron, and afterwards to become weak and 
disunited, like iron and clay. Likewise, near its close 
it was to be divided into ten minor kingdoms, like the ten 
toes of the image. So far is very clear ; for the history 
of events has affixed her seal to these symbols, in attesta- 
tion of their truth. But in the seventh chapter of his 
prophecy, Daniel was enabled to carry forward the pro- 
phetic history of the fourth, or Roman empire, and thus 
to describe some collateral events. 

" After this, I saw in the night visions, and behold a 
fourth beast, dreadful, and terrible, and strong exceed- 
ingly ; and it had great iron teeth : it devoured and 
brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of 
it : and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before 
it ; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns ; and, 
behold, there came up among them another little horn, 
before whom there were three of the first horns plucked 
up by the roots : and, behold, in this horn were eyes like 
the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things." 



406 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

The interpretation of this vision, in the subsequent part 
of the chapter, thus describes the character of this little 
horn. " And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten 
kings that shall arise : and another shall rise after them ; 
and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue 
three kings ; and he shall speak great words against the 
Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most 
High, and think to change times and laws : and they 
shall be given into his hand, until a time, and times, and 
the dividing of time." 

In the above prophetic description we find delineated 
a power, which would arise in the last days of the Ro- 
man empire, and which would exhibit the following dis- 
tinguishing marks: — 1. It would come up, small in its 
beginning, among the ten kingdoms of the Roman em- 
pire. 2. It would have eyes like the eyes of a man ; i. e. 
it would be remarkable for sagacity and policy in regard 
to its own interests. 3. It would have a mouth speaking 
great things against the Most High. That is to say, it 
w r ould be a preaching or ecclesiastical power, and would 
arrogate to itself divine prerogatives, and blasphemous 
names and honors. It would, for example, claim infalli- 
bility, and set itself up as God upon earth. (See the pre- 
ceding section.) 4. It would make war upon the saints 
of the Lord, and wear them out by cruel persecutions, 
during the continuance of its power. That is to say, it 
would be a persecuting power, and would have liberty to 
prevail against the people of God for the time appointed, 
which would be a period denoted by a time, times, and 
the dividing of time. Or, as interpreters understand it, 
three prophetic years and an half.. That is, as many 
natural years as there are days in three years and an 
half, reckoning three hundred and sixty days to the year, 
which would make twelve hundred and sixty natural 
years. 5. It would pluck up, or subvert three of the 
constituent kingdoms of the Roman empire. 

All that will be necessary to give a proper application 






HISTORY OF POPERY. 407 

of this symbolical description to the events which have 
been brought to view in the preceding history, is to con- 
sider the course and connexion of facts. And here we 
may say, that this prediction must, in the course of events, 
have progressed far towards its completion. Its con- 
nexion with the Roman empire shows that the power 
here denoted must long since have arisen and fully have 
developed itself. Now, the only question to be solved is, 
what power, among those which have existed since the 
rise and decline of the Roman empire, answers most ex- 
actly to the description here given ? What power is it that 
came up from small beginnings, among the ten kingdoms 
of divided Rome ? What power has been remarkable 
for all manner of craftiness and watchfulness, in promoting 
its own designs ? What power has placed itself on a 
level with God, and become a competitor for divine 
honors 1 What power has made war upon the saints 
by most cruel and unrelenting persecution, for more 
than twelve centuries ? What power have we seen, in 
the course of events, subverting the three kingdoms of 
the Heruli, the Ostrogoths, and the Lombards in Italy, 
and reigning in their stead ? Can there be any hesita- 
tion as to the answer to these questions ? 

But we have further light from the scriptures. In the 
thirteenth chapter of the Revelation of John, we have de- 
scribed a vision, in which a beast was discovered rising 
out of the sea, " having seven heads and ten horns, and 
upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name 
of blasphemy." This beast evidently denotes the tempo- 
ral Roman empire. Its seven heads are supposed to 
mean the seven hills on which the city of Rome was 
built, and the seven forms of government which existed 
in Rome in the progress of its history. The ten horns 
mean the same as they do in the prophecy of Daniel, the 
ten kingdoms into which the empire was finally divided. 
After all this, and in immediate sequence, the Apostle 
saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he 



408 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

had two horns, like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 
And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before 
him, and causeth the earth and all that dwell therein to 
worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 
And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come 
down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and 
deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those 
miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the 
beast, saying to them that dwell on the earth that they 
should make an image to the beast which had the wound 
by the sword and did live. And he had power to give 
life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the 
beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would 
not worship the image of the beast, should be killed. 
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, 
free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or 
in their foreheads ; and that no man might buy or sell, 
save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or 
the number of his name." 

In this passage we have a clear prediction of a power 
that would arise from the earth, which means the Roman 
empire in its quiescent or nominally Christian state, and 
which would arise after the ten horns, or after the ten 
kingdoms had become extant. This power would also 
co-exist with the secular ten-horned beast, so as to perform 
wonders in its presence, and to aid in its ambitious pro- 
jects. This latter, or ecclesiastical power, would also 
have two horns like a lamb. That is to say, its power, 
or instruments, would be divided into two branches, 
which would appear harmless, or would assume a name 
and professed employment, which would look harmless 
as a lamb. This symbol denotes the two orders of popish 
clergy, the regular and the secular, or the monks, and 
the parochial clergy. These orders, in their name and 
profession, were harmless as a lamb, and yet they spake 
and acted as a dragon. They are wolves in sheeps' 
clothing. 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 409 

This last beast exerciseth all the power of the first 
beast before him, and causeth the earth and they that 
dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly- 
wound was healed. The first beast was the secular Ro- 
man empire. The secorfd, or two-horned beast, there- 
fore, must be some ecclesiastical power rising up in the 
Roman empire, in agreement with it, and exercising all 
its power for the accomplishment of its own purposes. 
For example, if the two-horned power should be a per- 
secuting power, as it is afterwards declared to be, it 
would use the power of the first, or ten-horned beast, to 
execute its vengeance, delivering over its victims to the 
secular power. But not only does the second beast use 
the power of the first, but it causeth the inhabitants of 
the earth to worship the first beast. In other words, 
there is a league between these two powers, existing 
within the bounds of the Roman empire. They help 
each other. The second beast, by its power over the 
consciences of men, causes them to serve the first, and 
thus is a co-adjutor to secular ambition and tyranny, the 
enemy of civil as well as religious liberty, the opposer of 
all means and measures to enlighten the human mind. 
The dominion of these beasts, therefore, would produce 
an universal gloom and darkness. Let the reader look 
to the history of the crusades, and to the history of popery 
in the reigns of Pepin and Charlemagne of France, for 
an explanation of the above prophecy. How did popery 
cause the inhabitants of the earth to worship the secular 
power, in the crusades ? But the two-horned or second 
beast, we are informed, doeth great wonders, so that he 
maketh fire come down from heaven in the sight of men. 
According to Faber, heaven, in the symbolical language 
of prophecy, means the church, and the earth means the 
temporal or secular dominion. To cause fire to pass 
from one to the other, may denote the sending forth from 
the church of bulls and edicts, and sentences of excom- 
munication against those who should in any manner re- 
35 



410 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

fuse obedience to the ten-horned beast. It may represent 
those threats of the fire of divine wrath which would be 
denounced against those who should presume to think for 
themselves. It may denote those fires of persecution 
which, though kindled by the secular power, were al- 
ways sent forth from the church. It appears, also, that 
the second beast would deceive men by claiming the ex- 
ercise of miraculous gifts. This last mark of the second 
beast is a very decisive one, because the pretension to 
work miracles, since the days of the apostles, has been 
rare. It will not be difficult, therefore, to decide, at first 
sight, what power in modern times has set up claims to 
the possession of the power of working miracles, and has 
by this means practised great deception on men. 

Again, another mark of the second beast given in the 
prophetic account, is, that he would introduce into the 
empire the worship of images, or a new modification of 
ancient idolatry. The first beast had been an idolatrous 
power in its form of pagan Rome. In the conversion of 
the emperor Constantine it received a deadly wound ; in 
that, idolatry was suppressed. But in process of time, 
the deadly wound was healed, by the empire's relapsing 
into idolatry in a different form. And this latter idola- 
try would be brought forward by the second beast. Now. 
the question is, what power, in connexion with the Ro- 
man empire, has been chiefly instrumental in introducing 
the worship of images ? To this, there can be but one 
answer ; it is popery. 

Once more, another, and the last mark of the two hor- 
ned beast in this vision, which we shall bring to.view, is, 
that it causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, 
free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or 
in their forehead. By this is denoted a power which 
would have some visible token or emblem always con- 
spicuous about their persons. What this mark, or sign 
was we are not informed ; but it is a well known fact that 
the papists have a visible sign, or mark, which is always 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 411 

conspicuous. Every papist carries with him in some 
conspicuous place the s^gn of the cross, either by a visible 
cross suspended upon his person, or by crossing himself 
before others as a mark of his religion. 

One instance more we find in the Revelation of John, 
of the mention of this apostate power : it is in the seven- 
teenth chapter. There an ecclesiastical apostacy is 
brought to view under the symbol of the great whore, 
who is said to have committed fornication with the kings 
of the earth ; and the inhabitants of the earth are said to 
have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. 
This power John saw represented as a woman sitting 
upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of the names of blas- 
phemy, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman 
was arrayed in all the costly things of the earth, having 
in her hand a golden cup, to denote her command of the 
wealth of nations. The woman also was drunken with 
the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. Can there be any 
question in candid minds what power is here represented ? 
Where can we find an antitype, if not in the popish 
church ? Those that question the application of these 
predictions to popery, are bound to point out the predicted 
apostacy some where else. 



SECTION XI. 

MORAL INFLUENCE OF POPERY. 

Having taken a comprehensive view of the system of 
popery, in its origin, its progress, its doctrines, its prac- 
tice, and its fruits, it now remains that some results be 
deduced. These, however, must be very brief. We 
might here speak of the influence of popery on the intel- 
lectual improvement of man, and show that it is, and 
always has been, a determined enemy to the diffusion of 
knowledge of all kinds, It admits of nothing but what 



412 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

can be made subservient to the interests of popery : and 
most assuredly neither literature nor science, in their true 
and genuine character have any such subserviency. The 
schools and seminaries of which papists boast, and to 
which they invite the attention of parents, are only nur- 
series of popery. There children are environed with an 
influence and a supervision which can hardly fail to 
secure them while they live. The children of protestant 
parents are there literally imprisoned, under the plausi- 
ble pretext of education ; they are persuaded or compel- 
led to become papists, and they may communicate nothing 
to parents but what passes the inspection of their masters. 
Indeed, when we find Gallileo arraigned and condemned 
by the inquisition for scientific discoveries, who can have 
any hope of a propitious influence from that quarter. 
But this is not the point on which I would now insist. 
There are interests more important than those of science. 
And the question is, what influence does popery exert 
over the morals of men 1 To answer this question cor- 
rectly, look first at her principles. Hear her teach, that 
all kinds of deception, fraud, and lying are justifiable, 
when the glory of God and the good of the church re- 
quire them ; that no faith is to be kept with heretics, or 
those who differ from her ; hear her teach that the pope 
can change the essential nature of moral good and evil ; 
that he can make, by his fiat, sin to be holiness and holi- 
ness to be sin, and that he can dispense with all laws 
human and divine, and pardon all transgressions, and 
that what he does is infallibly correct. Taking this view 
of popery as to its moral, or rather its immoral principles 
and maxims, and who could expect any consequent influ- 
ence but that of the most deadly character ? Men will 
not rise higher in their practice than their standards, and 
they generally fall greatly below them. If then such are 
the standard principles of popery, what must be her prac- 
tice, what her moral state, and her moral influence ? 
Concerning this point we have only to revert to facts 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 413 

which have been detailed, to obtain a complete answer. 
From Rome, the seat of life to popery, with her hundreds 
of licensed brothels, of the profit of which the pope par- 
ticipates, with her gambling, drunken cardinals, and her 
carnival soirees, we may go down through all the chan- 
nels of her influence, and what do we find but a mass of 
moral corruption and putrefaction. Outwardly, she is 
fair and splendid, like the woman on the scarlet colored 
beast, she is gorgeously arrayed, she has a golden cup, 
and garments decked with jewels, and attracts the wonder 
and admiration of a credulous multitude. But enter her 
courts, go to the secret place of her sorceries, and you 
discover her real name and character ; it is, Mystery 
Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, and abomina- 
tions of the earth. 

She has been zealous to spread her influence, and en- 
large her dominion ; and because her proposals are suited 
to the natural feelings of men, who love darkness rather 
than light in respect to religion, she has been vastly suc- 
cessful. But what has been the consequence ? Who 
has not been made worse by her coming ? Go to Asia 
Minor, go to the peninsula of hither India, go to South 
America, go to Canada, for an answer. Even paganism 
blushes at the corruptions of popery. Plato, Seneca, 
Confucius, and Socrates, would be degraded by a com- 
parison with the morality of the pope, with all his holi- 
ness. Protestant countries and cities are wicked enough 
in spite of the influence which their religion exerts to 
check them ; but they are paradise, to countries and cities 
which lie under the influence of popery, which gives 
vigor and license to all the corrupt propensities of human 
nature. Indeed, popery has nothing vitally moral about 
it. It is a carcass of pretences, forms, show, epithets, 
and every holy thing that can be put in language or re- 
presented by grimace ; but inwardly, it is all rottenness ; 
and practically, it is the very smoke of the bottomless 
pit. Does any one ask, is not this a railing accusation X 



414 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

I answer, no — it is the fair deduction from premises fur- 
nished by the whole course of authentic history for many 
ages. Papists may flutter and equivocate, but they are 
challenged to disprove the facts from which these conse- 
quences unavoidably flow. 

Such being the moral influence of popery, it is almost 
needless to say that its civil influence is most pernicious. 
For all experience testifies that correct morals are the 
essential basis of good society and civil liberty. Not 
only will immoral persons be enemies to all wholesome 
laws and restraint, but their example will be spreading 
the pestilence around them, till the whole community be- 
comes corrupt. Popery then, being a system of immo- 
rality, must be essentially inimical to all civil liberty 
and free institutions. They cannot be papists, who advo- 
cate, or even tolerate republican principles in sincerity, 
any more than a man can serve two masters. All pa- 
pists, from the nature of the case, must consider their al- 
legiance to the pope as paramount to every other, they 
are then really the subjects of a foreign power, and the 
vassals of despotism, and all oaths of allegiance con- 
trary to this are among their dispensable lies and 
frauds, and will be so found in the hour of trial. They 
will always side with any faction that is most favorable to 
their master the pope. This is the testimony of obser- 
vation. So it has been in Spain, so it is in Portugal, so 
it has been and is in the states of South America. The 
fruits in that fair field of liberty have been blighted and 
withered by the influence of popery. And though they 
talk of liberty, they know it not. In a word, show me a 
country, or a state on which the sun ever shines, where 
popery is in the ascendant, or where it is predominant, 
that enjoys any thing like civil liberty, or has any ration- 
al prospect of such enjoyment. Produce a solitary ex- 
ample of desirable civil society, that is, desirable for its 
equal rights, its free institutions, its enlightened popula- 
tion, under the baleful influence of popery. Show me a 
free press, or a trial by jury, in all the domains of popery. 



HISTORY OF POPERY. 415 

No, as soon might you hope to find healthful and vigor- 
ous vegitation under the deadly shade of the bohon 
upas. Popery and civil liberty cannot co-exist. 



CONCLUSION. 

Thus has an attempt been made to present an authentic 
and candid statement of the facts respecting popery. The 
votaries of this corrupt system will doubtless cry out, that 
this is all a libel, all false and malicious. But as they hold it 
right to lie for the glory of God and the interests of popery, 
and as the denial of a statement of facts in regard to their 
system, will doubtless be deemed by them essential to the in- 
terests of popery, it is to be expected that they will deny 
whatever can be stated, however true. But who will believe 
those who license pious frauds, and say one thing when they 
mean another. The statement is true and can be substan- 
tiated, let papists deny as much as they will. They deny 
that they worship a bread god when they worship the bread 
in the eucharist. And the evasion by which they make good 
this denial, is, that when the bread is changed into the body 
of Christ, as they suppose it is when they worship it, it is no 
longer bread, and therefore not a bread god. Still their eyes 
tell them it is still bread, and therefore must be bread and god 
too, and a bread god. But with their system of prevarication 
and deception, they can deny or affirm any thing they please. 
But in this age and country of light, who will be dupe 
enough to believe all that papists tell him, even against the 
testimony of his own senses'? 

It remains, then, for the inhabitants of this land of free- 
dom, to say whether they will yield themselves to the cold 
and withering embrace of this system of moral corruption. 
Shall popery be welcome to our shores ? Shall it rear its 
serpentine crest over our goodly heritage ? Shall our chil- 
dren be sent to its halls for instruction, our daughters be com- 
mitted to its sisterhood of impurity ? Shall our charities be 
poured out to nourish this scorpion in our houses, which will, 
as soon as opportunity presents, requite our kindness by the 
thrust of his fatal sting ? Shall the dungeons of the inqui- 
sition ever darken these vallies and plains ? Shall the fires 



416 HISTORY OF POPERY. 

of martyrdom ever gleam in our horizon ? Shall the souls 
of them who are slain for the word of God. and the testimony of 
Jesus, ever cry from under the altar, against this blessed land, 
saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge 
and avenge our blood on them that dwell in these United 
States? ' O, my soul, come not thou into their secret, unto 
their assembly mine honor be not thou united. Instruments 
of cruelty- are in their habitations.' " 

Will it be said, all this is idle fear ? It may be, but if it 
prove so, one thing is certain. It will not be so through any 
lack of exertion on the part of papists to suppoit and propa- 
gate their faith in this land. We already see and feel the 
fruits of such exertion. A society was formed at Vienna in 
1829, called the Leopold Foundation, for the purpose of 
raising funds to propagate popery in this country, by support- 
ing missionaries, founding cloisters, monasteries, seminaries. 
&c. This society raised in about a year, nearly fifty thou- 
sand florins, between thirty and forty thousand of which have 
been remitted to the diocess of Ohio. The popish chapel at 
Hartford, Conn, is said to have been paid for by the Austrian 
consul. If, then, popery does not gain the ascendancy in 
this country, it will not be for want of effort on her part. 
What, then, shall be done ? Here the answer returns, which 
was suggested in the introduction. We must not persecute — 
we must not assume carnal weapons — we must act in entire 
consistency wiih the gospel we profess — but we must be on 
the alert — we must pour light upon this kingdom of dark- 
ness — we must inform our population of the wiles of this 
enemy of man — we must endeavor to protect our own fami- 
lies and friends from the contagion — we must leave no corner 
of the land where popery can hide. And while we make 
these efforts according to manifest duty, we must look uni- 
tedly and importunately to Hlai who will yet be inquired of 
by the house of Israel, and who has never said, seek ye me 
in vain ; that He will be pleased to pour out his spirit of light 
and truth ; that he will shorten the reign of error and delu- 
sion, and that he will hasten the day of glory, when Zion 
shall arise and shine, her light being come and the glory of 
the Lord being risen upon her, and when Satan shall be bound 
that he go out to deceive the nations no more for a thousand 
years. "Even so, come Lord Jesus, come quickly." Amen. 





















































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